Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that the Illinois Department of Transportation will be awarding $94 million to improve public airports throughout the state as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program. There is also $11.5 million in local funding on top of it and the Governor spoke about how much this is a huge help for the state.

There are 96 projects selected for funding to help both large and small airports. The projects will include planning, construction, reconstruction, development, and improvement of public airports for both safety and efficiency. 

Many local projects are receiving funding including Taylorville Municipal Airport, which is receiving $1.4 million for runway rehabilitation, Shelby County Airport, which is receiving $460,000 for hangar construction, and Effingham County Memorial Airport, which is receiving $3.5 million for runway extension and $1.5 million for taxiway extension. 

Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman says that public airports in Illinois have to have the resources they need to thrive.

A total of $150 million in state bonds has been identified in Rebuild Illinois for the state’s airports, with $6 million committed to air traffic control in Romeoville and other airports near Chicago. Illinois has over 850 individual airports. It contributes more than $95 billion annually to the state’s economy.