WEST CHICAGO, Ill. – DuPage Airport will soon kick off a $11.4 million capital improvement project to widen and rehabilitate its primary runway.
Airport officials report that construction is slated to begin this spring, with completion in December of this year.
At 7,570 feet long, DuPage’s primary runway is the longest in Chicagoland outside of O’Hare and handles approximately 70% of the facility’s aircraft operations.
The project includes widening the runway from 100 feet to 150 feet – providing a greater crosswind capability for aircraft up to the size of the Boeing Business Jet – as well as pavement rehabilitation. The contractor for the project is Elgin, Ill.-based Martam Construction, Inc.
“Widening Runway 2L/20R gives us additional operational capacity and continues with our capital improvement program to build for the future,” said Executive Airport Director David Bird. “As the industry grows, we continue to invest in our facility so DuPage is well positioned to capture that growth in business aviation that has been forecasted by the FAA and others.”
The $11.4 million cost for the project is 100% funded with Airport Authority revenue and is expected to have nominal impact on flight operations, airport officials said. Last year, the airport completed a project to lengthen its secondary runway to 6,430 feet, allowing it to serve as a backup when maintenance and construction is being performed on the primary runway.
Additional improvements underway include a new 30,000-square-foot transient hangar designed for storage of G650/Global aircraft, scheduled for completion in 2015.
Earlier this year, DuPage unveiled a new $1.6 million Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) station. The 4,700-square-foot station – located closer to the airfield for improved response – operates 24/7 and houses two ARFF vehicles, including a 1,500-gallon Rosenbauer Panther that the airport purchased in 2007 for $600,000. ARFF services are provided by trained personnel in the West Chicago Fire Protection District through an intergovernmental agreement between the two agencies.
For more information: DupageFlightCenter.com