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State Grants for Illinois Airports

Il. Sec. Transp. Omer Osman, Congr. Cheri Bustos, QC Airport Ex.Dir. Ben Leischner, Gov. Pritzker, St.Rep. Mike Halpin, RI County Bd Chair Richard Brunk
WVIK News
Il. Sec. Transp. Omer Osman, Congr. Cheri Bustos, QC Airport Ex.Dir. Ben Leischner, Gov. Pritzker, St.Rep. Mike Halpin, RI County Bd Chair Richard Brunk

Thanks to the state, airports across Illinois will be able to make a variety of local improvements. Wednesday Governor J.B. Pritzker officially announced grants totaling 94 million dollars from the Rebuild Illinois Capital Program.

At the Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, he said the projects will range from runway and hangar construction, to new taxiways and improved security.

"Every community deserves prosperity, safety, resilience, and opportunity, and that's what this program seeks to advance."

Ben Leischner, Executive Director of the Quad Cities Airport and Chair of the Illinois Airports Council, says state grants mean these projects don't have to wait for possible federal funding.

"So even our local project which is a ramp rehabilitation and expansion would not be as competitive with other projects around the country that are for safety or capacity."

With local contributions of more than 11 million dollars, Illinois airports will have a total of 105 million dollars to spend.

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.