09.10.14

Durbin Announces More Than $437,000 in Funding For Improvements at University of Illinois-Willard Airport

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the University of Illinois-Willard Airport in Champaign, Illinois has received $ 437,532 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Airport Improvement Program for runway and taxiway rehabilitation. This grant will be used for runway upgrades and to widen the existing taxiway to improve traffic flow at the airport.

“For years, I have worked to secure federal funding to improve Illinois’ airports. Today’s announcement will bring necessary upgrades to the runways and taxiways at University of Illinois-Willard Airport in Champaign,” Durbin said. “Willard serves as an important transportation link, and this funding will make sure the airport can continue to operate safely and efficiently as it serves the Illinois’ constituents and businesses.”
 

Today’s grant was awarded on a competitive basis through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Airport Improvement Program which is funded by the Airport and Airways Trust Fund. Revenue in to the trust fund comes from ticket taxes, user fees and aviation fuel taxes. These funds are authorized by Congress in multi-year FAA reauthorization acts and then appropriated each year by Congress.  The FAA determines which airport projects are the highest priority and distributes their discretionary funding to them accordingly.