Quad Cities International Airport in Illinois has begun construction to remove the bullseye configuration on its airfield.
Quad Cities International Airport is one of only few US airports that still has more than two intersecting runways. This design creates operational inefficiency, as commercial flights have to taxi for longer to reach the primary runway. General aviation pilots must also contend with commercial air traffic.
The construction work will shorten the airfield’s general aviation runway by 1,500 feet and create a new parallel taxiway to the airport’s primary 10,000-foot commercial runway. The 10 million USD construction project is fully funded by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Benjamin Leischner, Executive Director, Quad Cities International Airport, said:This project has been a long time coming – we only know of one other commercial airport in the US that has a similar configuration. These changes will benefit both commercial and general aviation traffic considerably. The shorter runway will be closest to the general aviation hangars creating a campus that is separate from commercial traffic, and commercial aircraft will have a much quicker route to and from the primary runway.
Quad Cities International Airport states that the shortened general aviation runway will not impact operations for most aircraft that use it. However, aircraft needing a longer runway will be able to use one of the airport’s commercial runways.
Phase 1 of the multiphase project will take place throughout early May. Occasional runway closures will take place, but the airport is working closely with airlines to prevent any disruption to normal operations. Construction is expected to be complete by November 2022, with Valley Construction working as the lead contractor.
