Six Month Project Was Part of $34 Million In Airfield Improvements
MOLINE, ILLINOIS Rehabilitation of the main 10,000 ft. runway at the Quad City International Airport, known as 9/27 is just days away from final completion. A ceremony today featuring Dr. Susan Shea, Director of Aeronautics for Illinois, Susan Schalk, Airports Division Manager, Great Lakes region for the FAA, a representative from Senator Durbin's office, and other area dignitaries will commemorate this milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:00 noon. The ceremony will take place on the airfield near the "bulls-eye" where three of the airport runways intersect. The rehabilitated runway 9/27 will feature 47,000 cubic yards of new concrete. Paved asphalt shoulders on each side of 9/27 are an added safety enhancement.
Construction started in mid-April, and all three runways have been shut down for the past six months. During this time a temporary runway of 6,500 feet in length was used (runway 10/28.) The project remained on target throughout the season and will be completed one month ahead of schedule. Planning for this major phase began in 2007, and encompassed $34 million in total airfield improvements. Funding for the improvements has come from local, state and federal resources. "The Quad City International Airport is a critical transportation link that is key to the region's economy," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). "This runway will help put the airport in the strongest possible position to compete for better air service and aviation development projects and contribute to the long term ability of the Quad City Airport to serve travelers safely, securely, and efficiently. It is a great example of Recovery Act funding at work."
Bruce Carter, Director of Aviation says "Planning for this project started in 2007. We are finishing the third stage of a four-stage plan and we are very pleased with the cooperation that was achieved through the efforts of the FAA, the Division of Aeronautics, the engineers and contractors. Hundreds of jobs were created in the fields of concrete, asphalt, earthwork, electrical, and trucking. This infrastructure improvement will take us well into the future." Carter adds, "While today is ceremonial in nature, we are ready to open all three of our runways to arrivals and departures next weekend. This is an exciting time in history for the Quad City International Airport and for our travelers."
The fourth and final phase of the overall project will be completed next year, when the temporary runway used during the construction period converts to a taxiway, which will be called Taxiway P "Papa."
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