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Effingham County officials mark groundbreaking for roughly $5 million runway extension
Summary
County leaders and airport officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for an Effingham County Airport runway and taxiway extension they said will cost about $5 million, with the Rebuild Illinois capital program covering roughly 90% of the work; officials noted years of planning and an earlier economic impact study.
Effingham County Board Chairman Josh Douthat and airport officials led a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday to begin construction on a runway and taxiway extension at the Effingham County Airport, a project officials said will cost about $5,000,000.
The county’s airport superintendent and county engineer, Greg Custer, said the Rebuild Illinois capital improvement program is financing the bulk of the work. "So they're funding 90% of the $5,000,000 project," Custer said, adding that federal apportionment normally does not prioritize runway extensions and that state program funding made this project possible.
Why it matters: Officials said the project is intended to support the local economy and general aviation activity. Chairman Josh Douthat cited a 2019 economic impact study that he said measured roughly $9,600,000 in airport-related economic activity and said the extension will expand that impact.
County and airport leaders emphasized the project’s long lead time. Custer said it took two years to complete an environmental assessment and another two years for the Federal Aviation Administration to review changes to the airport layout plan before the project became "shovel ready." Douthat and Airport Commission Chairman Tony Seager credited years of effort by county staff, state aviation officials and engineering firms for getting the project to this point.
Officials also noted parallel investments at the field. Seager said the county received about $900,000 in COVID-relief funds that will pay for construction of 10 new hangars now set to begin soon, calling it one of several improvements adding capacity to the airport.
The groundbreaking was largely ceremonial: organizers invited elected officials and project partners to turn shovels and pose for photographs at a designated spot near the fuel tank. No formal vote or ordinance was recorded in the event transcript.
Who spoke: Chairman Josh Douthat, Airport Commission Chairman Tony Seager and Airport Superintendent/County Engineer Greg Custer made the principal remarks; Jerry Tate, the airport manager, was introduced among airport staff present. State and federal elected officials and representatives of the Illinois Division of Aeronautics, Hanson Engineers and McCarthy Improvement also attended.
Next steps: Officials said construction is expected to begin following the ceremony; no construction schedule or completion date was provided in the transcript.
