"Midway headed for capacity constraints: FAA study"

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Midway headed for capacity constraints: FAA study
Crain's Chicago (IL) Business


The Chicago area will have enough airport capacity through 2025 if the
O'Hare Modernization Project is completed, according to a new study by the
Federal Aviation Administration. 

However, Midway Airport is expected to reach its maximum capacity sometime
between 2017 and 2025, the study adds. 

"The O'Hare Modernization Program may help offset some of the additional
activity forecast for (Midway), but additional solutions may be needed as
well, including a new airport that is now being considered" in Peotone,
according to the report. 

In 2004, the last time the FAA analyzed the nation's airport capacity needs,
the Chicago area was expected to remain a capacity-constrained "hot spot"
through 2020. But the O'Hare Modernization Project was not underway at the
time the study was conducted. 

Now, the report says, O'Hare will have sufficient capacity by 2015 if
planned improvements are made.

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