Stimulus could help Gary airport land Mexican airline

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

Gary/Chicago International Airport wants to kick-start its plans to attract international carriers and cargo by landing $8 million in federal stimulus money to expand its terminal.

The expansion would include the building of a customs and immigration facility, which was put on hold last year, according to airport director Chris Curry.

"It's important for people to understand we are still out there and a competitor in the Chicago aviation market," Curry said after Thursday's airport authority meeting.

The airport is seeking an additional $60 million in stimulus money to relocate the EJ&E Railway line, which is blocking expansion of its main runway.

Plans to expand the terminal were put on hold last year when it became clear funding would be difficult to obtain.

If the airport can get stimulus money to expand the terminal, it also would restart its effort to win designation as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, Curry said.

The airport is not alone in seeking federal stimulus money. Communities in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties are submitting a total of $1.5 billion in requests for stimulus funding.

The U.S. House and Senate are expected to pass the $789 billion stimulus bill Friday, and President Obama wants to sign it on Monday.

The airport already is working with the office of U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh to obtain stimulus money, Curry said.

Details on exactly how the money will flow to localities is still sketchy, but he expects the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration also will be involved.

Mexican carrier Viva Aerobus' application with the U.S. Department of Transportation to fly into Gary remains active, Curry said. That application was filed in March of last year but remains on hold.

In preparation for expanding the main runway, the airport recently completed a $14.8 million project to bury NIPSCO power lines that block the flight path to a lengthened runway.

That project came in $2.86 million under budget, airport engineer Ken Ross reported Thursday. Some 27,000 feet of high-voltage cable serving steel mills was buried and a new substation erected off Chicago Avenue.