Governor Quinn Announces $5.4 million Investment in Peoria International Airport

PEORIA – September 25, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn was joined by state and local officials today to announce a $5.4 million investment in the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. The mix of federal, state and local dollars will help support ongoing work on a new terminal and other major improvements. The work is expected to create 155 jobs.

“Airports play a critical role in our economy,” said Governor Quinn. “These airport improvements are creating construction jobs today and will ultimately better connect Peoria-area businesses to the global marketplace, providing them with a competitive advantage as they grow and add new employees.”

Funding through the Illinois Job’s Now! capital program helped the state leverage the $5.1 million federal grant, which is providing the majority of the project’s funding. The remainder of the total is being financed with local dollars. To date, the state has provided funding to leverage a total of $11.8 million towards improvements at the airport.

“Thanks to the hard work of Governor Quinn and the General Assembly, we have leveraged capital funding from the Illinois Job’s Now! to secure federal grants for many important infrastructure projects,” said IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig. “A modern airport is key to Peoria’s economic future.”

The highlight of the ongoing two-year overhaul at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport is the replacement of the 50-year-old terminal with a brand new $60 million building. When it is completed next year, the one-story terminal will make the airport experience easier and more convenient for travelers, while meeting aviation needs in Peoria and the surrounding areas for years to come.

IDOT is currently leading Illinois’ largest construction program in state history through Governor Quinn’s Illinois Job’s Now! capital construction program. The program will modernize our infrastructure across the state through major improvements in roadways, airports, railroads, and transit systems. Projects from the Illinois Job’s Now! capital program are creating an estimated 155,000 short-term and permanent jobs.