Gary airport expansion money still flowing, gets another $5.3 million from feds

BY KEITH BENMAN, Times of Northwest Indiana
kbenman@nwitimes.com

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky announced Thursday that Gary/Chicago International Airport will get another $5.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for expansion of its main runway.

"The Gary airport can become an economic engine for the region," Visclosky said. "These federal funds will help the airport execute its master plan and be a part of Northwest Indiana's new economy."

Visclosky also urged the Gary/Chicago Airport Authority to create a private-public partnership to run the airport. It is currently run by the authority, a seven-member board appointed by the mayor of Gary, the governor and county commissioners in Lake and Porter counties.

The money was due to the Gary airport under a Federal Aviation Administration letter of intent issued in 2006. The airport already has received three installments totalling more than $20 million.

The airport must demonstrate sufficient progress on the project each year to receive its scheduled installments. A total of $57.8 million is available to the airport under the letter of intent.

The airport is expanding its main runway to 8,900 feet from its current 7,000 feet and has completed property acquisition for the project. A project to bury high-voltage power lines northwest of the runway also has been completed.