Crosswind runway coming in around $4.5M under budget at Morris Airport

Morris Mayor Chris Brown told the City Council during its meeting Monday night that the crosswind runway project at the Morris Airport is coming in around $4.5 million under budget, assuming IDOT accepts the low bid.

“It’s getting really close,” Brown said. “They (IDOT) have about 60 to 90 days to go through everything, and then we’ll get an official response.”

Brown said in June at the State of the City address that the city has secured $15 million from the Department of Transportation and acquired all properties necessary for the expansion.

The project will build a runway extending west-southwest up toward Ashley Road to east-northeast, complementing the north-south runway that’s already there.

Brown said he expects there to be a groundbreaking later this year, and hopes that the project will be finished in Spring 2027.

The construction of a crosswind runway would allow the Morris Municipal Airport to be used as an emergency landing spot for airplanes from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport.