Illinois e-News Release

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Nov. 14, 2022                                                                              Maria Castaneda   312.447.1919

                                                                                                    Guy Tridgell           312.343.1731

ROMEOVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation and Transportation Secretary Omer Osman today celebrated the opening of a new air traffic control tower at Lewis University Airport, a $8 million project supported by $6 million from Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois to improve aviation safety throughout the region. The six-year, $45 billion Rebuild Illinois is the largest capital program in state history and the first one that touches all modes of transportation.

“Rebuild Illinois is touching every corner of our state, and today’s opening of the new air traffic control tower at Lewis University Airport is another testament to the investments we are making to advance our infrastructure—planes, trains, and automobiles included,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This air traffic control tower isn’t just about aviation safety—it’s about providing economic and educational opportunities for the people of Will County and all of Illinois.”

Expected to open for operations on Dec. 1, the new air traffic control tower will become part of the Lewis University Airport, owned and operated by the Joliet Regional Port District, and staffed by air traffic controllers contracted through the Federal Aviation Administration. Designated as a general aviation reliever airport by the FAA, the facility features two runways and serves as home to approximately 140 aircraft, including seven jets. Takeoffs and landings consistently exceed 100,000 a year.

The new tower not only will provide a higher level of safety at the airport, but it will benefit airspace in the entire region, which includes Midway and O’Hare international airports, as well as provide enhanced training for prospective pilots at Lewis University. As the first air traffic control tower in Will County, it also will encourage economic opportunity and new transportation options in one of the fastest-growing parts of the state.

“Rebuild Illinois is strengthening our state’s status as the transportation hub of the nation by investing in all modes of transportation, aviation included,” said Secretary Osman. “The new air traffic control tower at Lewis University will positively impact safety and mobility in an important part of the state for many years to come.”

Through Rebuild Illinois, IDOT is investing a total of $150 million in aviation. Last year, the governor announced a $94 million commitment to airports throughout the state, unlocking $11.5 million in local contributions for a combined investment of $105 million. The funding was the largest statewide capital investment for airports in state history.

In recent months, Gov. Pritzker released IDOT's Illinois Aviation Economic Impact Analysis, the first study of its kind in a decade, which found that the state's airports annually contribute $95.5 billion to the economy and support 492,768 jobs.