Peotone airport plan will go to FAA
Main runway moved in revised proposal

Illinois will submit to the federal government a new layout plan for theproposed south suburban airport near Peotone, a crucial step before theproject can take off.
The revised plan to be offered for analysis Friday to the Federal AviationAdministration relocates the main runway of the “starter airport” about 600feet south of where it had been in the original plan. As many as fiveadditional runways could be built later, based on future demand.
Moving the first runway will minimize the environmental impact, reduceconstruction costs and lessen jet noise over residential areas, according tothe Illinois Department of Transportation, the sponsor of the project.
Although submission of a layout plan to the FAA marks a major step,construction of what supporters call Chicago’s “third airport” won’t begin foryears – if ever.
The Peotone airport is seen by boosters as part of the solution to theChicago region’s aviation capacity shortfall and as an economic engine forthe South Side of Chicago and the southern suburbs.
However, the project faces many obstacles.
No major airline has expressed interest in serving the proposed airport,preferring instead to use Midway Airport and an expanded O’Hare InternationalAirport.
Critics of the state’s land-acquisition efforts say the pristine farmlandand pastures of Will County are no place for an airport.
The Daley administration, afraid that a Peotone airport would hurt businessat Midway, has lobbied vigorously for many years to keep the Peotone airporton a slow track with the FAA.
In addition, the Will County government and a public-private partnershipheralded by U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) are still at odds about whowould have governing authority over the airport.
IDOT tried to steer clear of the governance battle more than a year agowhen it submitted two proposed airport layout plans – one backed by the WillCounty government and the other proposed by the Jackson-led group – and askedthe FAA to choose one.
The FAA balked, though, saying only one plan could be submitted.
Many months passed, raising new questions about the Blagojevichadministration’s commitment to the south suburban airport.
State Sen. Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) set a March 1 deadline for IDOT tosubmit its preferred alternate airport layout plan to the FAA, but thedeadline passed.
On Thursday, Halvorson, the Senate majority leader, ordered IDOT to filethe plan immediately. Hours later, a spokesman for the Blagojevichadministration said the plan would be provided to the FAA on Friday.
“People have to be prodded and pushed to make major changes,” Halvorsonsaid. “Now, the airport layout plan is going forward.”
Will County Executive Larry Walsh said he stands “shoulder to shoulder”with Halvorson, and he praised IDOT for coming up with an airport layout thatis economically and environmentally feasible.
Rick Bryant, executive director of the proposed Abraham Lincoln NationalAirport Commission, which Jackson is promoting, said his group supports thelatest plan by IDOT, but he added that it would prefer the runway to be either5,000 or 6,100 feet south of the nearby Bult Field, rather than 4,300 feet.
The starter south suburban airport would occupy 5,225 acres and eventuallygrow to as many as 18,700 acres, according to IDOT.
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