4!:i E..lJNiVt.RSITY AVL STE. 206 CH AMPAICN,IL 0 I A?.O (217).'355·5252

28 W. NORTH STTIEET • I ST FLOOR DANVILLE, IL 61832 (21 7) <142 ·52 52

June 7, 2012 ILLINOIS STATE SENATE 

## MICHAEL FRERlCHS

STATE SENATOR· 52ND DISTRICT

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 

### 400 7th 

### Street SW Room 

## i 0200 Washington, DC 20590

Dear Secretary LaHood: 1 18 STATE CAPI'rOL :iPRINGFIFt-0, IL 62706 (;>;' 71 782·2507**'+"if~** writing to expfess 

### my support f.er 

### tl:le grant applioation subrmtted 

### by I he U.niversity 

### of Illinois' Willard · Airport to 

### the U.S. Department 

### of Transportation for the Small Community Air Service Development Program. The proposal is to support non-stop service between**Champa~gn-Urbana** and Washmgton Dulles.

Access to commercial air transportation is a key ingred1ent in building a strong and vibrant east centrallllinou; economy and 

### 1s a htgh priority for local development efforts as well as those of the University of Illinois. The University of 

### Illinois Research Park was recently ranked 

### by Forbes as 

### one of the top ten 

### technology incubation !acllltles 

### in the country. Over the last 1en years the University 

### of llltnois Research Park has created 1200 technology related jobs and is a 

### research facility for 

### many top companies 

### induding Yahoo, Caterpillar, John 

### Deere, Sony, and State Farm to name just a few. Access to robust commercial air service is critical to the future success 

### of these efforts and the companies 

### we host. According to a recent study 

### by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Willard Airport produced a total economic impact of nearly 560 m1fllon and this grant investment v;;ll ensure that W11.ard A1•port 

### ::::rt1nues to nclp the University and local ..:ommunitics to 

### lhn11e.

Research at 

### the University 

### of Illinois involves several hundred million dollars In funding 

### by Washington. Betweon the University 

### of Illinois. Federal 

### agenc1es and local business and heavy intemational travel to Dulles and beyond we behave a direct flight to 

### the Washtngton area 

### can be developed and 

### sustained.

I appreciate your time and consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my 

### Chief of Staff, should you have any questrons or need any further rnformation on this application or the impact this grant would have on the a1rport and community.

Sincerely,

Michael Frerichs



# 3li i C H ARO J D U P.B if,l**!L ~:** 



## Secretary Ray LaHood 

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## June 14
, 2012

U.S. Department ofTransporation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590-0001

Dear Secretary LaHood: C Uf, !lf\iiTI [[; ON**rlU S**  IO .NO r,Dfv11N IST riA T :O i·:



## I am writing to express my supp011 of the grant application submitted by the University of Illino i s' Willard Airport to the U.S

. Department of Transportation for the Small Community Ai r Service Development Program

. The proposal is to support non-stop service between ChampaignUrbana and Washington Dulles.

Access to commercial air transp01iation is a key ingredient in building a strong and vibrant
east central Illinois economy and is a high priority for local development efforts as well as those of the University of Illinois

.

Over t he last ten years the University of Illinois Research Park has created over 1200 technology related jobs and is a research facility for many top companies including Yahoo, Caterpillar, John Deere, Sony, and State Fmm to name a few. Access to robust commercial air services is critical to the future success of these efforts and the companies they host.

According to a recent study 

## by the Illinois Department of Transportation, Willard Airp01t produced a total economic impact of nearly $60 million; this grant investment will ensure that Willard Airport continues to help the university and local communities to thrive.

The University of Illinois' research projects involve hundreds of million dollars of federal

m o rley. A direct flight to the Washington area can 

## be developed and sustained by 

## all who would use this service including the University of 111inois, federal agencies, local businesses, and international travelers.



## I urge you to give thi s applicati o n the most serious consideration. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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## 510-120620-015 Sincerely,



## Richard 

## J

. Durbin United St at es Senator**~~ ;,** **~** l'til f.t;

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