On March 31, 2023, an EF-3 tornado ripped through an area of Crawford County, near the town of Robinson, in southeastern Illinois. The massive storm, which caused three deaths and significant property damage in the area, destroyed Crawford County Airport (RSV).
A longtime consultant for the airport, Hanson responded promptly, working side by side with the county’s leadership to manage the airport’s repair and reconstruction process.
Prior to the tornado, RSV initiated a master plan consisting of a narrative report and airport layout plan (ALP). RSV supports critical operations including transportation for local corporate employers and rural medicine service access.
To support these and RSV’s other uses after the tornado, Hanson provided the study, which reviewed the critical aircraft for future facilities and runway length requirements; examined the feasibility of crosswind runway improvements under the current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design standards; explored the need to open new areas for terminal-area development compared to maximizing the existing terminal area; identified opportunities to improve the planned parallel taxiways with the decommissioning of the on-site VOR and the shift from ground-based to GPS instrument approaches; and reviewed of potential for future instrument approach improvements to increase accessibility of the airport in poor weather.
Rebuilding stronger
Immediately after the storm, which destroyed all the buildings on RSV’s property, Hanson and the airport’s leadership revisited the plan and coordinated efforts to pursue funding from federal and state agencies for temporary facilities. The partnership then pursued and received a state planning grant to create a new terminal area redevelopment plan and concept terminal design to update the airport layout plan in anticipation of funding. In 2024, RSV received a grant from the highly competitive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) federal program for $3.8 million to rebuild the terminal building.
Without development constraints in the terminal area, RSV chose to develop a plan that maximized the terminal area’s flexibility and utility while using the existing apron. The foundations for the T-hangars and adjoining pavement areas south of the terminal were reusable, so RSV made the decision to rebuild the T-hangars in place.
The revised study focused on locating the replacement facilities for the terminal building, box hangars, fuel system, electrical vault and airport beacon to identify a preferred long-term plan. To position RSV to compete for FAA BIL terminal grant funds, Hanson had fast-tracked the project, while maintaining close coordination with the Illinois Aeronautics Division so the revised ALP and categorical exclusion document for the terminal could be approved before the grant submission. As part of this effort, Hanson held a planning charrette and communicated regularly with airport representatives to identify the preferred selection.
‘First-class airport’
During the project, Hanson’s provided guidance for necessary aviation notifications and closures; coordinating with state and federal agencies; assessing damaged equipment and infrastructure; and providing recommendations for damage mitigation, repair and replacement. In addition, Hanson has participated in observing improvements and repairs; developing proposals for planning, environmental, preliminary and schematic designs; and supplying construction documents for damage repairs and replacement.
In addition to the planning study, and in coordination with RSV’s terminal architect, Hanson helped RSV prepare the development cost estimates and a grant application. After RSV received the grant, Hanson received an appreciation letter from the airport’s leadership team. It read, in part:
“It was a tremendous amount of work, but we’re excited about the first-class airport we got in the end. The facilities are well suited for supporting our local community for decades to come. This was made possible by Hanson’s help and that of many others.”
The Illinois Public Airports Association awarded the project its 2025 Construction Project of the Year at its annual fall conference in Galena, Illinois, and members of Hanson’s project team proudly attended the Nov. 19, 2025, ribbon-cutting event for RSV’s new terminal, T-hangars and other reconstructed elements.
