Willard Airport Midfield Taxiway Realignment Project now officially complete

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - After months of anticipation, the Willard Airport Midfield Taxiway Realignment Project is now officially complete.

U.S Senator Dick Durbin, alongside other local leaders attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Willard Airport to commemorate the event.

“I want everything to be normal and calm in an airport. I don’t want any hotspots or confusion going on. That’s why this investment is timely and important and makes a big difference,” said U.S Senator Dick Durbin.

The project came out to a total cost of 10.6 million dollars, which was part of an FAA effort to ensure that the nation’s taxiways meet current safety standards.

The hope is to help prevent collisions and other accidents at airports. These renovations were completed after a five-month period.

“Enhancing safety, improving airfield geometry, removing our airfield hot stop-which is a very big deal-we even renamed our entire airfield taxiway naming system to align with FAA standards published in 2012,” said Executive Director Tim Bannon.

Willard Airport is also used to train future pilots through programs offered by Parkland College and the University of Illinois. University officials have said that these renovations will be key in helping the flight program grow for years to come.

“This is a vital infrastructure that can help us deliver on our land grant mission, to educate more people, to generate the big ideas that change the world, and that improve the livelihood of people, not only in this state, but beyond as well,” said University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones.