Windy City Gateway Gets New Runway

Chicago O’Hare International Airport has completed a $512 million project that saw the construction of its fifth parallel east-west runway and associated taxiways. Work on the 7,500-foot-long, 150-foot-wide Runway 10R-28L, along with a 7,500-foot parallel Taxiway W and 2,000-foot Taxiway AA, began in the spring of 2011. According to the Chicago Department of Aviation, 10R-28L will be used primarily as an arrivals runway, and officials say that during east flow operations it will boost arrival rates in poor weather by 40 percent and by 24 percent in visual conditions.

The new strip is the fourth new runway component to open at O’Hare since 2008 as part of the airport’s $10 billion modernization program, which was funded entirely by passenger facility charges, FAA Airport Improvement Program grants (AIP) and General Airport Revenue Bond proceeds; no state or local taxpayer funds have been required. A $41 million, 218-foot-tall ATC tower was recently built to manage traffic on the southern portion of the airfield and 10R-28L.