Gary airport chases stimulus funds

By Keith Benman, Times of Northwest Indiana
keith.benman@nwi.com

Gary/Chicago International Airport continues to pursue federal stimulus funds for multi-million-dollar projects along with other airports across the nation, officials there said Friday.

The Gary airport is requesting $60 million in stimulus funds for moving railroad tracks blocking expansion of its main runway and $8 million for expanding its terminal to host a U.S. customs facility, Airport Director Chris Curry said.

"We need that (customs facility) to be competitive now and especially in the future if the Olympics come to Chicago," Curry said.

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., announced three Illinois airports will receive a total of $9.3 million in stimulus funds through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Those airports are in Rockford, Decatur and the Quad-Cities.

In all, 3,400 airports in the United States are eligible for $1 billion in stimulus funds that have been allocated to the Federal Aviation Administration, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Some airports may be able to tap other sources of stimulus money.

An Illinois airport yet-to-be, Illinois' proposed airport at Peotone, also got a shot in the arm this week under Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed budget.

A total of $100 million out of a $250 million line item for economic development will be directed to land purchases at the proposed site of the suburban airport in Peotone, governor's spokeswoman Katie Ridgway said.

Gary Airport officials say Quinn's support does not threaten their plans because it will still be years before Peotone boosters can boast of anything resembling an actual airport.

"I just don't understand the logic of building an airport that's even further away from the destination, Chicago, than the Gary airport," Curry said.

Even if enthusiasm builds for the Illinois airport, environmental studies and the FAA application process would put actual approval years away, Curry said.

The Gary airport hopes to have its main runway expanded to 8,900 feet within two years and has other projects on the drawing board as well.