The City of Morris viewed the qualifications of Hansen Engineering, an outfit that specializes in airports, to prepare for future work on the crosswind runway.

Stan Knudson, the Community Affairs Director, said Hansen has the designations needed for airport work. It was the only firm that responded to the city’s request for qualifications.

The City of Morris was joined at the Morris Municipal Airport by Gov. JB Pritzker back in September for the groundbreaking on the $14.7 million project.

The project is part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which provides Morris with $11.8 million of the project’s total cost.

The runway will improve capacity and safety while creating jobs and economic opportunities, allowing the airport to handle 40,000 touchdowns annually, according to the September Morris Herald-News article.

The 3,500-foot runway will allow for safer landings in strong wind.