ROCK FALLS, Illinois — The Whiteside County Airport has completed a project renovating its terminal’s main entrance after concerns that it contained a severe tripping hazard.
The airport released a statement in the morning of Monday, January 27th announcing the completion of the construction and reopening of the entrance. Airport Board President Drew Wilkens says that Airport Manager Darin Heffelfinger had been working diligently to coordinate the construction through numerous delays from various factors, including contractor availability and poor weather conditions.
The entrance was closed in early January due to a number of concerns with the entrance’s safety and accessibility. The airport says that the sidewalk had created a significant tripping hazard due to the concrete sinking several inches into the ground due to its lack of a solid foundation, stating that the ground below the path was pure mud. They also say that there was no footing under the transition between the sidewalk and the building. The construction aimed to fix these two issues and also improve handicap accessibility.
