"Dueling Chicago airport plans have quite a price difference"

Thursday, May 6, 2004

Dueling airport plans have quite a price difference 
By Cindy Wojdyla Cain
The Joliet (IL) Herald News


Will County officials have noticed their airport plan costs $138 million
more than the one proposed by U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Airport consultant Terri Smalinsky said the county's airport would cost
$338 million to build based on moderate construction estimates.

Jackson (D-2nd) of Chicago has said his plan would cost $200 million. 

Jackson spokesman Rick Bryant said that doesn't include the price of
land, which would account for much of the difference between the two
plans.

Bryant said specifics of construction costs have not been made public.

The county has made its estimates public, and Smalinsky detailed them
Tuesday to the county board finance committee.

Smalinsky's numbers include:

 $75 million to reimburse the state for the 4,200-acre inaugural airport
site in eastern Will County.

 $197 million for the airfield, runway, taxiway, instrument landing
system, terminal ramp, perimeter fence and air traffic control tower.

 $66 million for terminal, gates, air bridges, command and control
center, parking lot and entrance road.

Will County plans to introduce its airport legislation, which would
create a Will County Department of Aviation, in January.

Meanwhile, Jackson is forging ahead with his rival plan.

His South Suburban Airport Commission has selected a company to build
the airport. Negotiations are under way now for an airport financial
plan, Bryant said. The plan will eventually be brought to the governor
for approval.

Finance committee chairman John Gerl (R-Joliet) asked when the Illinois
Department of Transportation would decide between the two groups.

Smalinsky said IDOT should make its decision "well before" the Federal
Aviation Administration gives its final approval of the airport plan,
which is expected by December 2005.


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