Bidding on Morris Airport runway could begin in April

The proposed crosswind runway at the Morris Municipal Airport could go out for bid as soon as April.

Alderman Herb Wyeth told the City Council on Feb. 3 that the bid letting will take a minimum of 90 days to be awarded, although the expectation is that it’ll take about 120 days to settle on a final bid.

However, there could be a delay as to when the project actually starts, as there’s a lead time for getting the materials needed to build.

Wyeth said that the point-of-sale gas dispenser equipment is being installed, and the rest of the equipment is expected to be delivered in two weeks.

The city of Morris received $11.8 million from the state of Illinois back in December 2021 for the construction of a crosswind runway. The project is estimated to cost about $14.7 million.