PEORIA, Ill. – There is now a bi-partisan effort of sorts to make funding available to rehab the air traffic control tower at the Peoria Airport, and to make the funding high priority.
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and Congressman Darin LaHood, along with Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, have signed and sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration head Stephen Dickson, making the ask.
The four indicated the just-signed federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act contains $5 billion for an “Airport Terminal Program,” and says that includes work for air traffic control towers.
“For years, airports that own their towers, such as the Peoria International Airport, have struggled with upkeep of crumbling towers while being unable to locate eligible sources of funding for tower replacement,” the letter said. “These aging towers can pose safety and health issues and are often incapable of housing modern technology or meeting modern building codes.”
Bustos said during a recent visit there the tower has outlived its useful life, and employees say they can’t do their jobs in the tower very well.
The PIA tower is 64 years old, and officials have said it would cost $13 million to bring it up to code.
CLICK HERE to read the letter (.pdf document).
