Illinois airports get $94M in upgrades under capital program

SPRINGFIELD, ill. (AP) - Public airports in Illinois will get $94 million in upgrades for dozens of projects, including in Galesburg, the Quad Cities and Bolingbrook, state officials said.

The money is coming through the Rebuild Illinois capital construction program. Overall, there are 96 projects in the state for both large and small airports in urban and rural communities. Local officials will kick in about $11.5 million as well.

The projects at the Galesburg Municipal Airport include replacing two large underground fuel tanks, which is expected to cost $1 million. The other includes resurfacing the parking lot and entrance. Along with the one-time state grant, the city will also pay about 10% of the cost.

Other grants include the Quad Cities International Airport, which will get $3.3 million for entrance road realignment and $2.3 million for aircraft parking expansion. Bolingbrook's Clow International Airport will receive $2.4 million for taxiway replacement.

'œCrucially, these dollars are going first and foremost to projects that might not otherwise be eligible for the full federal funding that they need to finish," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a recent statement. "We want our airports throughout the state to be the best in the nation, and these airport grants are making a real difference.'ť