But Peotone Residents Say They Don't Want To Move, Sell Homes

The need for greater airport capacity in the Chicago, IL area has met with political resistance for decades. O'Hare International, which sits on 7,000 acres and is the metro area's primary airport, got agreement from two holdout airlines, American and United, to move forward with part of its improvement package back in March, but an actual expansion in the number of runways has been mired. To the south, the smaller Midway Airport has had more than $700 million in improvements over the past decade, but much of it in areas such as parking capacity and cosmetics.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and other proponents of a third airport located even farther south of Chicago say their idea is the real answer to congestion. They came a step closer to their goal recently when the FAA approved a Facility Requirements Report for IDOT's proposed master plan for the South Suburban Airport in Peotone, IL, 46 miles south of Chicago (see map inset). The Chicago Sun-Times reports the new airport would have a 9,500' runway and a terminal with four gates, passenger and cargo aprons, and facilities for corporate jets. But only 2,300 of the 5,000 acres required to start construction have been secured.

Unlike NIMBY battles, this is the rare case in which the residents were there first. The Sun-Times reports that among the landowners prepared to fight a buyout or eminent domain battle is Anthony Rudis, age 100, whose home is a converted barn in the village of Monee, IL. Rudis questions whether the airport is really needed, and so far has denied the state's requests to enter his home to appraise it. "They wanted to invade and come in, but I told them it wasn’t for sale."

George Ochsenfeld, president of STAND, short for Shut This Airport Nightmare Down, has questions. “What about the school districts? Or the tax flow? Or the pollution? What kind of clientele is going to use the airport? This makes me feel awful.”

IDOT says the recent FAA approval of the master plan will result in development of an environmental impact statement that will address those concerns.

FMI: http://peotone.com/ ; www.nothirdairport.org ; www.southsuburbanairport.com/MasterPlan/news/MP_Approved-Facility-Report.htm