Aug 14, 2008 4:50 pm US/Central
O'Hare Expansion Project On Target And On Time
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A view of the first new runway built at O'Hare Airport since 1971.
CBS
City engineers say the multi-billion dollar O'Hare Airport expansion project is on target and on time, despite legal challenges from opponents.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports the city on Thursday allowed reporters a chance to see the progress for themselves.
The project includes the first new runway built at the airport since 1971, one of the brand new jewels of the city's $8 billion O'Hare Modernization Project. It will go into operation November 20.
"The FAA is coordinating, flight checking, testing all the navigation equipment for the runway. All the paving is down you can see," said engineer Phil Farsalas. "It's ready to go."
O'Hare project director Rosemarie Andolino said, "Mayor Daley has extended an invitation to President Bush to have Air Force One be the first plane to land on our new runway."
If that happens, controllers in the new 255-foot air traffic control tower will guide the president's plane into Chicago. It, too, is expected to be up and running on November 20.
But much more of the task of rebuilding O'Hare remains to be done. Some are questioning whether the airlines will be financially able to cough up their share of the cost. The city is not publicly worried.
"O'Hare is still one of the most delayed airports in the country and we are also still one of the busiest," Andolino said. "and the only way to solve that is with a new infrastructure."
The most expensive parts of the project are still ahead -- building another gargantuan runway, a new passenger terminal and new road access from the west.
The project has a 2014 target date for completion. The city's position is it couldn't come fast enough for delay-weary passengers and the nation's air travel system.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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