PIA Named for New Tower Grant

Peoria, IL – Senators Durbin and Duckworth yesterday announced a new grant for the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria to aid in funding the replacement Air Traffic Control Tower at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. The grant of $13,510,000 is the third batch of funding for the tower project. MAAP will provide $711,368 to match the grant from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Airport Terminal Program. This grant brings the total amount of federal funding for the tower project to $43,510,000, all from the BIL program. Combined with the airport’s share of $2.29 million, it brings the total funds toward the project to $45.8 million. 

“We’re excited to receive this new grant, which significantly closes the gap to completing this project,” said Gene Olson, Director of Airports for the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria. “We’re now within reach of having this project fully funded. The timing of the grant coming right after our groundbreaking on Monday is perfect, and gives us confidence that we’ll see this project completed in a timely fashion.” 

The new tower will meet all FAA requirements for visibility on all required parts of the airfield, as well as meeting health, fire egress, and Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The new structure will be 146 feet tall, as compared with the old tower of approximately 90 feet tall. 

“We would like to express gratitude toward the elected officials who helped us win this grant, including Senators Durbin and Duckworth, US Representatives Sorensen and LaHood, as well as former US Representative Cheri Bustos,” concluded Olson.