A south suburban airport to complement the O'Hare and Midway international airports has been discussed for 40 years without ever coming to fruition.
A new study is reviving the idea for a south suburban airport that, if ever developed, could pose a threat to the cargo business at the Gary/Chicago International Airport.
The new study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute found a cargo-only airport in Will County would create 8,000 jobs and contribute $1.3 billion to the economy. The think tank released the study after the Illinois General Assembly tasked the Illinois Department of Transportation with setting up a prequalification process for vendors. It touts potential synergies with the 6,400-acre Centerpoint Intermodal Center–Joliet/Elwood, which is the nation's largest inland port.
“Will County is already one of the largest transportation hubs in the United States. And data reveals that the construction of the long-debated South Suburban Airport will deliver economic growth in the region, create jobs, and support the growing e-commerce industry,” said ILEPI Transportation Director and study author Mary Tyler.
The Illinois General Assembly also allocated $162 million in 2019 to build an interchange at Interstate 57 and Eagle Lake Road to provide access to a future airport. It has shifted focus from a third passenger airport to the idea of a dedicated cargo airport.
Cargo at the O'Hare International Airport and Chicago/Rockford International Airport has grown by 90% since 2010. Both rank in the top 13 of air-cargo airports nationwide.
“The new vision of the SSA as a cargo-focused airport would serve a strategic location in Will County along the I-57 logistics corridor, just south of I-80, near major rail lines, and only 45 miles east of the largest inland port in the United States,” said study co-author and ILEPI Economist Frank Manzo IV. “This makes the airport ideal for serving integrator or express airlines like FedEx, UPS, DHL, and Amazon Air, as well as all-cargo airlines, to ultimately support the region’s fast growing e-commerce industry.
The study found the cargo-only airport would generate $2 million in state and local tax revenue a year if built.
“Our analysis indicates positive economic benefits from developing the SSA and a growing e-commerce and air cargo market in the Chicago region. While more work is still to be done, the recent legislative actions show that the Illinois General Assembly is looking to leverage both public and private expertise to develop the new vision of the airport,” Tyler said.
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