Annual Proposed Airport Improvement Program

Each year, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) develops the Annual Proposed Airport Improvement Program. It is designed to provide an overview of the airport improvement program, as well as a current listing of all airport projects programmed for the next federal fiscal year in an effort to inform the general public and aid local transportation stakeholders and business partners in specific planning activities.

For Fiscal Year 2024, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Annual Proposed Airport Improvement Program includes projects at airports throughout the state to ensure continued safe and efficient operations at these facilities, as well as maximizing opportunities for economic development in Illinois. Justified and eligible projects are selected from the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) submittals and evaluated based on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Priority Rating (NPR) and need. The FAA provides the State of Illinois the preliminary federal programming levels annually for programming purposes. The Annual Proposed Airport Improvement Program does not reflect all known airport needs and deficiencies, but primarily those that have been identified by airport sponsors, the FAA, and IDOT, and found to be consistent with IDOT’s goals.

Limited resources require an airport project evaluation system that maximizes available funds while keeping consistent with national, state, and local community needs. In order to make the best use of the limited state and federal airport development funds, the Illinois Department of Transportation (Department) follows a FAA’s National Priority Rating (NPR) system that allows the Department to identify projects that meet present system needs. Current project priorities are:

• Safety: Projects needed to make the airport facilities safe for aircraft operations.
• Preservation: Projects to preserve the functional or structural integrity of the airport.
• Standards: Projects required to bring the airport up to design standards for current aircraft using the facility.
• Upgrade: Projects required to allow the airport to accommodate larger aircraft which can carry more passengers or cargo.
• Capacity: Expansion projects required to accommodate more aircraft at peak times.

Following these priorities, the Department is able to assist local communities in providing an environment that meets current state and/or federal safety standards, preserving the existing airport infrastructure, and encouraging economic growth by assisting airport sponsors with new development and expansion projects where a clear and demonstrated need exists.