PEORIA — U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) and Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.) stood side-by-side to excavate a symbolic shovelful of sand Monday during a ground-breaking ceremony for a new control tower at Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport.
LaHood and Sorensen also teamed up with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to secure approximately $30 million in federal grant money for the project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Federal Aviation Administration.
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The grant money will fund construction of the administrative building and the foundation for the new control tower, which should take approximately a year, according to Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria director of airports Gene Olson. MAAP still needs about $27 million to complete the tower. “We’re still pursuing funding for the tall part of the tower,” Olson added.
The existing tower was built in 1959 and is 90 feet high. The proposed new structure will be 146 feet high which, according to Sorensen, will allow controllers to see the entirety of both runways and all taxi ways in nearly any type of weather.
“We will not be ready for our vibrant future here in central Illinois without this control tower,” he said. “This is about connecting people to the world, and it’s about doing it safely.”
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Sorensen thanked LaHood for crossing party lines to work with him for central Illinois’ benefit. LaHood vowed to continue to work with lawmakers in both parties to see the new tower fully funded.
“This is a win for our Peoria airport, its expansion and continued growth,” LaHood said. “It’s a win for safety in terms of the passengers who will fly through here. And it’s a win for the (182nd Airlift Wing) and their continued growth at the airport.”
As a concession to weeks of dry weather, MAAP provided a row of sand for congressional delegates, MAAP board members and executive staff; and Federal Aviation Administration officials to dig into. “I’m going to like shoveling sand much better than the hard ground, because we haven’t had rain in seven weeks,” LaHood quipped.
Peoria International Airport provides non-stop service on Allegiant, Amercian, and United airlines. Earlier this month, the Illinois Department of Transportation named the facility its 2024 Primary Airport of the Year. It also announced it has set monthly records for passengers in August and September.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria airport project: $30 million project includes admin building, control tower
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