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STR Jan 10, 2006 8:23 PM

^Now that's just bullshit. It's one thing to have a power struggle with politicians, it's entirely something else to endanger the public to make a point.

VivaLFuego Jan 10, 2006 8:33 PM

^ Yeah, I suspect theres more to the story than simple O'hare revenge. If thats it, then its very petty. Especially unfair to the cops who went through all the extra training and responsibility to have their pay cut. But perhaps theres alot more to this.

Rail Claimore Jan 10, 2006 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STR
^Now that's just bullshit. It's one thing to have a power struggle with politicians, it's entirely something else to endanger the public to make a point.

But this is Illinois we're talking about. Not some ethical state like Vermont. :laugh:

I agree, that was stupid.

the urban politician Jan 11, 2006 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego
I've still yet to hear why we NEED to go the 3rd airport route....could someone tell me why Bedford Park, IL can't be turned into the Midway Airport expansion for alot less money than building a new airport? Gary can't expand much, unless you start filling in the lake. Obviously it makes more sense than Peotone, but theres tons of infrastructure that needs to be built if it were to be a major commercial airport.

Midway, its all there....just need longer runways and a configuration that allows at least 2 to be used at once without interfering with O'hare. Bedford Park is a giant industrial park and rail yard. Move the rail yard south, turn the rest into 2 parallel east-west runways of 8000ft or more. Whats the holdup, other than it not helping the downstate leeches? oh...

^To be honest, I have along felt that the Chicago metro is way, way, way, way, way, way, way too economically oriented towards the north/northwest side and north/northwest suburbs. It is possibly the most lop-sided city and metro out there. I agree with JJ Jr. on one thing, which is that the south side and south suburbs NEED an economic engine that will balance out the metro. I just feel that Gary is a MUCH more sensible idea than Peotone.

Expanding OHare is a nice, short term option, but the city should really look at using a third airport for capacity. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am bugged by the fact that so many company HQ (based IN Chicago) are actually located near OHare airport instead of downtown. Adding jobs/capacity/economic growth to the south side and south suburbs will bring more balance to the region and reestablish downtown as the geographic center of all things.

spyguy Jan 11, 2006 6:10 AM

I highly doubt that Peotone Airpot (or whatever they call it) is going to do much in balancing power between the two sides. A small airport catering to low-cost airlines is not going to cause large corporations to suddenly move to the south side and inconvenience a majority of their workers who live in the N & NW suburbs.

I don't know what you mean by short term option. You'd be a fool not to believe that O'Hare is a major component of business in the Chicago area because of shipping and air travel. If we don't continue to improve and expand O'Hare who knows how many countless opportunities Chicago will lose just to appease Jackson for an airport that many users have already stated that they wouldn't use. Just this week there was an article in the Sunday Trib that explained how Jet Blue wants to fly to and from Chicago, but none of the existing options at O'Hare work for them, and that they do not really want to go to a Midway controlled by Southwest. There remains the possibility that another Midwestern city could instead take advantage of the situation and get Jet Blue to fly from their airport.

Again, I think it's delusional to believe that Peotone airport is going to be stepping stone in re-establishing the city as THE place of business. The big boys (Motorola, Sears, Kraft, Walgreens, and now HSBC) aren't going anywhere, and that's something Chicago will have to accept. The suburbs are always going to remain competitive with the city, and this is probably an arrangement that works. The suburbs will have cheap space and possibly cheaper, more attractive housing while the city will maintain good transportation and amenities like cultural and recreational facilities, and so they'll each attract a variety of clients depending on the company's needs.

An airport that will chew up precious Illinois soil is not needed. I feel that all it will create is another Rockford-esque airport except it will cost us a fair penny. I think the best option is to expand O'Hare while looking at the three nearby airports and choosing one to redevelop.

the urban politician Jan 11, 2006 6:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy
I highly doubt that Peotone Airpot (or whatever they call it) is going to do much in balancing power between the two sides. A small airport catering to low-cost airlines is not going to cause large corporations to suddenly move to the south side and inconvenience a majority of their workers who live in the N & NW suburbs.

I don't know what you mean by short term option. You'd be a fool not to believe that O'Hare is a major component of business in the Chicago area because of shipping and air travel. If we don't continue to improve and expand O'Hare who knows how many countless opportunities Chicago will lose just to appease Jackson for an airport that many users have already stated that they wouldn't use. Just this week there was an article in the Sunday Trib that explained how Jet Blue wants to fly to and from Chicago, but none of the existing options at O'Hare work for them, and that they do not really want to go to a Midway controlled by Southwest. There remains the possibility that another Midwestern city could instead take advantage of the situation and get Jet Blue to fly from their airport.

Again, I think it's delusional to believe that Peotone airport is going to be stepping stone in re-establishing the city as THE place of business. The big boys (Motorola, Sears, Kraft, Walgreens, and now HSBC) aren't going anywhere, and that's something Chicago will have to accept. The suburbs are always going to remain competitive with the city, and this is probably an arrangement that works. The suburbs will have cheap space and possibly cheaper, more attractive housing while the city will maintain good transportation and amenities like cultural and recreational facilities, and so they'll each attract a variety of clients depending on the company's needs.

An airport that will chew up precious Illinois soil is not needed. I feel that all it will create is another Rockford-esque airport except it will cost us a fair penny. I think the best option is to expand O'Hare while looking at the three nearby airports and choosing one to redevelop.

^I agree, but when did I say I support Peotone? I am in favor of expanding Gary. I think Chicago also needs a reliever airport, because lets face it--OHare is VERY congested and it's a problem that will get worse. And every time it expands it is going to face tremendous opposition--something that Chicago can't keep dealing with during every round of expansion.

Chicago is a major transportation hub and there is no reason why it can't support 3 regional airports, much like New York City. I agree that OHare will always dominate, but there is no reason why Gary can't capitalize on the fact that it has/will have transit access to downtown Chicago.

spyguy Jan 17, 2006 12:52 AM

Nothing new here, but still interesting to read
 
http://www.dailyherald.com/search/se....asp?id=143376

Towns vowing not give up ground on O’Hare expansion

Bensenville says it will keep up expansion fight

By Joseph Ryan

Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Sunday, January 15, 2006

For decades, Elk Grove Village and Bensenville wouldn’t concede so much as a blade of grass to virtual Goliath Chicago’s efforts to expand O’Hare International Airport.

Today, though, it appears the Goliath has won out, as Elk Grove and Bensenville play out desperate last-ditch efforts to convince a judge to stall the $7.5 billion project aimed at reducing delays and increasing the number of flights.

The towns once championed by governors find themselves nearly cloutless.

And their strategy now has gone from one of completely toppling Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s plan to one of finding a way to stall the bulldozers.

Never before have Elk Grove and Bensenville, both of which have grown up next to the ever-growing airport, been so alone in their fight against expansion and faced such a mounting record of defeat.

“It is over. Mayor Daley won,” declared former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.

The one-term senator, who retired in 2004, single-handedly blocked Chicago’s congressional bid for expansion in 2002. He is now championed by Elk Grove and Bensenville as a “savior.”

Fitzgerald’s reality check is just one sign of an increasingly bleak outlook for Elk Grove and Bensenville’s seemingly never-ending battle against expansion.
---------------------

It continues on if you wish to read the whole thing.

Chicago2020 Feb 9, 2006 6:08 AM

http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ohareplan.gif

VivaLFuego Feb 11, 2006 1:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUKECUJ
I wonder how many more homes the City has aquired in Bensenville? The last count i saw was 32. I think once the city has aquired over 200 hundred or so of the 500 + needed, Bensenville city hall will concede and give up the fight.

Just bulldoze the whole thing. Revenge.

This project should be well underway, halfway done by now.

Chicago Shawn Feb 11, 2006 2:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUKECUJ
I wonder how many more homes the City has aquired in Bensenville? The last count i saw was 32. I think once the city has aquired over 200 hundred or so of the 500 + needed, Bensenville city hall will concede and give up the fight.


Well, here is the holdup: The injuctions filed by Bensinville and Elk Grve Village prevented Chicago from purchasing the homes untill the FAA made its final approval, so contracts could not be signed, even from willing sellers who want to take thier money and move on. Thank the self-indulgent leaders of those pissholes for the delay in purchasing property.

The revenge may still be in the works Viva, there is a drawing board proposal showing a proposed highway ring around the west boundry of the airport. Eventhough this is a very pliminary plan that may never materialize; the path of the proposed route will require demolition of the Bensinville Village Hall. :haha: Needless to say, when the village leaders came across that IDOT sketch they were a little pissed.

Rail Claimore Feb 11, 2006 10:50 PM

I think Chicago should just offer the residents annexation into the fine city and get the whole thing over with. :)

jcchii Feb 18, 2006 10:23 PM

I agree with above.
Pave Bensenville and create 20 active runways

STR Feb 18, 2006 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicago2020

That image is incorrect. Runway 36/18 has been inactive for several years.

spyguy Mar 3, 2006 10:51 PM

Might be a great way to get Southwest to come to Chicago, no?

Privatize rail like in Japan too!

spyguy Mar 3, 2006 11:05 PM

Midway privatization bill clears IL Senate
Proposal would facilitate lease-back deals with some city-owned assets


A bill that would make it easier for the city of Chicago to lease Midway Airport, city-owned parking garages and garbage transfer stations to private operators passed the Illinois Senate on Thursday.

City officials said they pursued the bill following success in leasing the Chicago Skyway to a foreign consortium, a deal that netted $1.4 billion.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, would keep land beneath Midway, parking facilities including the Millennium Park garage and three city waste stations tax-exempt for the life of their lease to a private entity, giving lessees the same property tax exemption the city has.

Full article:
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=19723

HK Chicago Mar 4, 2006 2:22 AM

^ I thought Midway was owned by the Chicago Dept of Education and leased to the City aviation authority?

spyguy Mar 8, 2006 9:46 PM

Anyone have a spare bulldozer or two?

VivaLFuego Mar 8, 2006 9:57 PM

Ugh. Out of principle they should bulldoze the rest of Bensenville.

spyguy Mar 9, 2006 9:47 PM

Maybe they're starting to wisen up a bit and realize that the war is over for them and in the future they could benefit too.

spyguy Mar 14, 2006 9:45 PM

http://www.crainschicago.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=19840

City rejects bids for O'Hare runway construction
Action raises questions about whether airport upgrade is on schedule


The City of Chicago has rejected bids for construction of the first new runway in three decades at O’Hare International Airport, a step likely to raise new questions about whether the massive airport renovation project can be completed on time and on budget.

In an action announced midday Tuesday, officials said bids from three firms to pour concrete and do other work for the new Runway 9L/27R at O’Hare’s northern edge “exceeded the engineer’s estimate” and are not acceptable.

The runway job now will be re-advertised, but not until the first quarter of next year. That means the runway will not be completed until the end of 2008, according to the city’s O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP).

OMP officials said the end of 2008 is consistent with deadlines that were announced earlier. But in an interview last September, OMP Executive Director Rosemarie Andolino had said construction on the new runway would start this fall and be completed by the end of 2007.

The rejected bids came from three prominent firms in the building business: Walsh Construction Co., which bid $58.9 million; Kiewit-Western Co., $61.7 million; and Plote Construction, Inc., at $63.7 million, Ms. Andolino said in a phone interview. Ms. Andolino declined to say exactly how much above estimates those bids were, citing competitive reasons, but said the figures were “not way above our estimates, but above.”

Ms. Andolino said the construction schedule slipped from the original date of the end of 2007 not because of the construction bids but because of delays by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in approving OMP. The 2007 date originally was issued in 2001, when the city expected FAA approval in 2004, she said. In fact, FAA approval did not come until 2005.

The city will be able to meet the new 2008 schedule because of the recent installation of computer-assisted landing systems on two more of its runways, Ms. Andolino said. With four runways now so equipped, O’Hare will be able to operate more efficiently in poor-weather conditions and some construction work can be “resequenced” and performed more quickly, she said.

OMP overall is designed to remake O’Hare in the mold of the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport in Texas, giving the Chicago facility three pairs of parallel east-to-west runways. OMP officials say they can do that for about $7 billion, but outside critics have charged that the modernization and expansion will cost far more than the city says, and that related road improvements will add billions of dollars more to the tab.

The city late last year won federal approval to proceed with OMP. Since then, according to Ms. Andolino, the city and its contractors have proceeded with land acquisition, moved nearly 200,000 cubic yards of dirt in site preparation and even poured a bit of concrete needed to ready the field for larger-scale work.

The costs of the project will come from taxes and fees levied on airlines and their passengers. O’Hare’s major carriers so far have agreed to pay roughly the first half of the modernization program. City officials predict the carriers will sign on for the remainder once the first runways are completed and airlines save money from a field that is operating more efficiently.


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