Springfield airport wins $11.8 million federal grant to rebuild a crosswind runway
Abraham Lincoln Construction at Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport will use an $11.8 million FAA grant to rebuild the nearly 30-year-old Runway 13-31, a 7,400-foot crosswind runway that gives pilots a 90-degree landing option during changing weather. Work is set to begin in early 2027 and finish by fall.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport will receive $11,839,322 in federal funding to rebuild one of its two crosswind runways, a project officials say will extend the life of the pavement and airfield by another two to three decades.
The Springfield Airport Authority announced the award, which comes through the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Grant Program. The money will fund the first phase of work on Runway 13-31, a nearly 30-year-old runway that intersects the airport's primary runway and runs in a southeast to northwest direction. The runway measures 7,400 feet long by 150 feet wide.
Mark Hanna, executive director of the Springfield Airport Authority, said the crosswind runway provides a critical safety option for arriving and departing aircraft.
"When winds change, when fronts come through and weather changes, we provide a 90 degree landing direction," Hanna said.
The first phase of the project includes paving, lighting, drainage, airfield signage and markings, according to a written statement from the airport authority. Hanna said the runway is long overdue for a revamp.
"It's a critical piece of community transportation infrastructure that once this project is completed, we should have another useful life for another two and a half, three decades," Hanna said.
Work is scheduled to begin in early 2027 and conclude by fall. Hanna said airport operations will not be disrupted during construction.
The Springfield award was among the largest individual grants in a statewide package. Altogether, the FAA awarded Illinois $66,345,494 for infrastructure improvements at airports across the state.
The airport authority thanked the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, both of Illinois, and state Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, for their support of the grant.
"This investment will help grow, modernize and expand our airports across the state," Duckworth said. "Together, we will keep working alongside our local leaders to advocate for federal funding that will make our skies safer, make traveling easier and support economic development across Illinois."
The Springfield grant is one of two shared by a pair of central Illinois airports, with Rockford receiving a separate portion of the same funding round.