Peotone airport foes like Gary-Chicago's new project Proponent: Illinois project still needed

Mary Baskerville , The Daily Journal

March 21, 2005

PEOTONE -- "It's appropriate and what should be done." That's the reaction of Judy Ogalla of Monee, about the Federal Aviation Administration's approval Thursday of a plan to expand Gary-Chicago International Airport.

A homeowner in the state's airport site east of Peotone, Ogalla is also an officer in Shut This Airport Nightmare Down.

"STAND believes that, regionally, the answer is to utilize existing airports -- to their potential -- before building a new one."

The FAA approval of Gary's plans points to the expanded role it could play as a regional airport, she said.

Gary $90 million plan call for moving a railroad so one of the two runways can be lengthened by 1,900 feet.

"The FAA wouldn't agree to expand, if they didn't think the airport was do-able," she said. "You can't let a line, the state line, stop a regional answer."

STAND President George Ochsenfeld agrees: "It's really good. It shows the FAA regards Gary as an important airport. Gary is light years ahead of Peotone with their infrastructure built. That means the landing fees will be lower than Peotone."

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s airport commission meets at Park Forest today to move forward with its plan for building a new airport at Peotone.

FAA approval of the Gary expansion "does not impact" the need for the Peotone airport, executive director Rick Bryant said this morning.

"We support more runways, not fewer in the he region," he said.

The commission has always supported the use of Gary, he said.

But Beecher resident George Willy believes the expansion of Gary is good news for anti-Peotone airport residents. "It's going to be a good thing."

Gary will be able to handle the extra aviation load needed by the area, he said.

Construction of the Gary expansion could begin as early as next year.

The next step is to have the FAA approve the airport's letter of intent, a lengthy document that also describes how the airport would pay for the improvements. Airport officials also have to acquire some 300 acres next to the runway.

FAA officials stressed more work needed to be done by the airport before construction could begin.

"They're one step closer to beginning the airport project," FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro said. "They still have to complete some preliminary actions, land acquisition and relocation of the railroad and environmental mitigation of hazardous waste cleanups. They've still got that work to do before they really start that project."