Mar 30, 2009 5:42 pm US/Central
Federal Stimulus Money Flowing To O'Hare
Money Will Put People To Work On Existing Runway
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A flight landing on the new runway at O'Hare International Airport in November 2008.
CBS
Some of your take-offs and landings at O'Hare may soon be a little smoother. And you can thank Uncle Sam. As CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports, a big grant should lead to some big improvements.
Lisa Trosine flies two or three times a week for business, and she is thrilled Chicago's first federal stimulus money, a $12 million grant has landed at O'Hare.
"It's got to be a good thing because people complain about O'Hare a lot. If it's going to relieve some of the congestion and some of the delays we constantly have," Trosine said.
Officials, including U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), announced the money on Monday.
They say more than $5 million will be used to replace runway pavement and almost $7 million will be used to widen a taxiway.
"Both of these projects are important for the safe and efficient operation of this airport," Mayor Richard M. Daley said. "They couldn't have been done at this time without the assistance of the federal grant."
And Daley pointedly emphasized none of the money will be spent on the controversial O'Hare expansion.
But will passengers really notice new pavement?
"The more efficient the airport becomes as a whole, the more the passenger will realize there's less taxiing time, less delay time," said airport commissioner Rosalie Andolino.
Still, some passengers think in these hard times, the stimulus cash could be better spent.
"I think that the roads should be rebuilt first," O'Hare passenger Taylor Moore said.
Passenger Gene Jackson asked, "Why not use that money to build homeless shelters and things of that nature?"
"For people who can't even afford a car, using money on a runway is not a good idea," said passenger Laura Cofran.
City officials said they had no choice. Chicago won these funds in competition with other cities, money which can only be used for airport improvements.
The project is expected to create 75 jobs and should get underway sometime this spring.
Meantime, the city's also expecting a $1 billion stimulus windfall for other infrastructure projects.
Other transportation will also benefit when the stimulus money comes in. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $1.3 billion for Amtrak projects nationwide, of which $80 million will be invested in Illinois.
Amtrak will use the money to rehabilitate locomotives and return train coaches to service. Amtrak officials say the funding will improve reliability during Chicago's changing seasons.
The Chicago Transit Authority will also benefit from the stimulus package. Money from the package will also go toward repairs to part of the CTA Blue Line from Washington Street to Damen Avenue. The CTA will also invest new hybrid buses.
A full list of Chicago projects funded with stimulus money.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley and Joanie Lum contributed to this report.
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