The Central Illinois Regional Airport [CIRA] could receive funding to return to its full number of boarding gates after years of operating without two of them.
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen visited the airport Thursday to announce he submitted $1.25 million of possible funding in a community project funding request.
The money would be used to replace and repair the two gates not in operation, according to Alan Sender, chair of the Airport Authority board.
“For many years now, commercial aircraft arriving at this terminal have been able to fully utilize only six of the eight functional gates,” he said. “Attached to one gate was a passenger boarding bridge that was non-functional and unrepairable, effectively closing that gate to landing aircraft.”
Gate 4 has been shut down after its manufacturer ceased operations, leaving the airport without a supplier for parts. The other gate, number 3, can only handle small aircraft because it needs an extension.
“…[Gate 3] can accommodate only 50-seat aircraft, while CIRA is currently being served by larger aircraft now being flown by Delta, American [Airlines] and Allegiant,” said Sender.
Replacement and renovation
Airport Director Carl Olson described Gate 4 as obsolete. He said it is a sitting ramp with no usage whatsoever.
“So, one part of the project would be to replace that bridge with a new unit that is not only capable of supporting large aircraft, where the current one or former one isn’t, but it’ll be completely ADA compliant and make that travel experience much more convenient, much more respectful and possible,” he said.
Olson said work on Gate 3 also requires ADA compliance, and that is why it can only handle small aircraft. It is not tall enough for the requirements on other planes.
“The second part of the project is to extend the boarding bridge gate area, the bridge tunnel, to allow that tunnel to go higher to reach the large aircraft,” he said. “It will accommodate the narrow body mainline airliners such as the Airbus line, the 319, the 320, the 321. It’ll hit 737, 800s, 900s.”
Olson said the 50-seat aircraft the gate currently serves are do not even fly in the area anymore. All routes at CIRA have transitioned to large aircraft.
With Gate 4 barred sits completely non-operational and Gate 3 only able to operate under non-existent conditions, Olson said the airport is ready to be wheels up on the project.
“We’re looking at maybe 15, 18 months, depending on the period of the year when the grant is awarded, and we put bids out on the street,” said Olson.
He said the project is a win-win-win for the airport, travelers and the community.
“Oh, there’s lots of benefits, not just a main benefit. It’s an opportunity to attract new air service, it’s an opportunity to grow organically the service that we currently have by making more gates available,” he said. “It’s also the opportunity to do it more comfortably, more respectfully for disabled travelers.”
Congressional funding
The community project funding request is just one opportunity CIRA has seen in the past few months. In May, Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood landed a $1.5 million grant for the airport’s air cargo road.
Sorensen, a Democrat, recognized LaHood among his other colleagues for helping bring money home to CIRA.
“…for providing a letter of support, which led to the project receiving significantly more funding than I could have expected, and so many thanks to him,” Sorensen said. “This is a great example of what we can accomplish with bipartisanship and priorities that benefit everyone.”
LaHood’s influence as the majority party was what helped move the funding through the appropriation’s process, he said.
Sorensen said the new funding will help deliver CIRA into the future of air travel and the growing downstate Illinois.
“It’s good news for businesses, it’s good news for Bloomington-Normal and Central Illinois as we continue to progress forward,” he said. “Community project funding is all about investing in projects that communities identify as immediate priorities. These aren’t Washington’s ideas. These are local ideas with local support, as we’re able to immediately fulfill and serve new people.”
Will Attig, downstate director for Sen. Tammy Duckworth, also attended the grant request announcement to voice the senator’s support of the funding.
