06.10.16

Durbin, Emanuel Announce More Than $56.5 Million in DOT Grants for Chicago Airports

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded more than $56.5 million dollars in grants for runway construction and improvement projects at Chicago airports. Under this announcement, O’Hare International Airport will receive Department of Transportation grants totaling $45 million dollars to pay for runway construction, taxi lighting, and signage. Midway International Airport will receive $11,790,715 to fund the rehabilitation of nearly 5,000 feet of runway.
  
“This is great news for Chicago and the state of Illinois. O’Hare and Midway are bustling transportation hubs connecting millions of passengers to destinations across the globe,” said Senator Durbin. “These grants are crucial to traveler safety and will help address the problem of prolonged runway wait times, ensuring flyers have a positive experience traveling to and from Chicago.”
  
“From moving customers to moving cargo, Chicago’s airports bring companies to our city and jobs to our neighborhoods. By investing in O’Hare and Midway’s future, we invest in Chicago’s future, and this new funding helps us do just that,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I want to thank our federal partners in securing these funds for our great airports, and I look forward to continuing our collective work of creating more economic opportunities for Chicago.”
  
Information on individual grants:
  
The Department of Transportation will provide two grants totaling $45,000,000 for O’Hare International Airport.
  

  • $20,000,000 to fund reimbursement for runway and supporting taxiway system.
  • $25,000,000 to fund Phase 2 of 11,245 ft. runway and reimbursement for Phase 2 of 7,500 ft. runway.

  
Midway International Airport has been awarded one grant for $11,790,715 to fund rehabilitation of 4,747 feet of runway to maintain structural integrity and minimize debris.