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Airport rally draws big crowd

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Illinois

They’re not just running TV ads. The pro-Peotone airport folks drew a thousand people to a rally last weekend.

A march and rally for Jobs and Justice drew a thousand participants from diverse backgrounds Sunday afternoon to Chicago Heights.

The march and rally, which included representation from Will, Cook and Kankakee counties, called for establishing a citizen drive and workshops for immigrants, as well as creating the Abraham Lincoln National Airport, said Rev. Lawrence Blackful, executive director of the South Suburban Action Conference, sponsor of the event.

The march urged Gov. Rod Blagojevich to sign a lease with the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission that would enable the group to build a third regional airport through a public-private partnership, Blackful said.

“It was a tremendous resounding message — the community enthusiastically encouraging the governor to sign a lease for the land to come through on his promise to build the Abraham Lincoln National Airport,” Blackful said.

Elected officials at the march and rally included U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Chicago; State Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete; State Sen. Maggie Crotty, D-Oak Forest; and State Reps. George Scully, D-Flossmoor; David Miller, D-Dolton; Robin Kelly, D-Hazel Crest; and Will Davis, D-Harvey.

Interesting that Sen. Halvorson and Congressman Jackson were both present. Jackson is backing a third-party candidate against the Senate Majority Leader over her refusal to back his airport plan.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 5:16 am

Comments

Wooh!!!!! Hoohh!!!

Okay, now that is over with. These marches have been spiritual, empowering and downright democratic.

Isn’t it amazing that hearings are being held in Illinois regarding public private partnerships - heck - even the assistant secretary of FHA was here a few weeks ago to give testimony about the benefits of public private partnerships during the tollway hearings.

But this private partner partnership had not been fully embraced by this governor!

I’m still waiting for leadership from the Governor’s office on this issue. It’s not that the 3rd airport is to bring jobs but it is also to keep Chicago keeping in air transportation for the region. If anything the 3rd airport will compliment the transportation hub of the midwest.

And no, I don’t believe we build the airport just to bring jobs to the area. I believe and have documented that the 3rd airport is needed in the region. Just look at the $7 million TAMS report done in the late 80’s and the $2 million IDOT market report, I could go on, but I actually have to go to work today!

Comment by Marta Elena Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 6:03 am
Rod will become an ethical person before that airport is built.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 7:45 am
The Governor and Mayor Daley are overlooking the greatest transportation opportunity of the 21st Century — and probably the the biggest construction project as well.

It would obviate the need for O’Hare expansion and probably for Peotone.

There is one and only one opportunity for a city to be the hub of a high speed rail network in the midwest. I’polis is making plans to be that hub. Where is Chicago? Where is the State?

Consider the benefits to the present O’Hare. Its landing slots and gates are now overburdened with commuter and regional air traffic. We can relieve the Airport by having passengers shift from Aircraft to High Speed Rail — city center to city center.

At 200 mph over the ground we can deliver passengers in the same time frame as aircraft do to as far away as Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota.

We can be the hub…or we can be the spoke of an I’polis hub. It is our choice, for it is going to come. These electric driven trains, maglev or not will cost less in fuel per passenger mile than the AvGas loaded planes.

They will carry regional passengers and overnight freight. Within Illinois we have Champaign, Bloomington,, Springfield, the Quad Cities and Rockford as way stations.

The right of way, and trackage including signals (there will be no grade crossings) will be owned by a probably multi-state authority. Stations would be constructed by (and economic development fostered in) the Cities in which they are located. Transportation companies will own the rolling stock and lease from the authority a schedule of service for each run.

If that doesn’t set you to dreaming and planning, nothing will — for it is the future.

Comment by Truthful James Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 8:44 am
Don’t believe 200 mph rail will work when aircraft are so much faster, but I also think the 3rd airport is not needed. Let’s improve O’Hare and what about Gary and Rockford? And, yes I know Gary is in “Indiana”, so what?

Comment by Wile Coyote Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 9:01 am
Wile –

Downtown Chicago to Downtown St. Louis. Hmm. Downtown Chicago to O’Hare = 1 hour. From the Gate at O’Hare into the air = 15 minutes. In the air to Lambert One hour (if you are lucky, no pattern time) Lambert to downtown St. Louis (including deplaning, going through the airport) by taxi 20 minutes.

Think about it.

Comment by Truthful James Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 9:09 am
Blago is obviously measuring the political ramifications of signing the lease instead of the benefits to the region. Blago will lose any South Suburban political fight with Jesse Jr. Go Jesse Go!

Comment by 3rd Ward Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 10:26 am
High speed rail intrastate or between STL & Chicago, yes I agree. But, many of us fly elsewhere frequently such as DC…

Comment by Wile Coyote Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 10:51 am
i still think we ought to relocate the capital to peotone instead of an airport. probably get more traffic…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 10:55 am
Wile ==

I am not important enough to fly to D.C. But I did specify regional.

Anything longer will still be for the O’Harried and the Midwait.

Minneapolis is at the edge, Detroit, Cleveland, maybe Cincinnati, Louisville, perhaps Des Moines.

And it is not just people movement. Heckuva big market for overnite letters and freight.

The key is in the bidding and leasing of schedules to private transportation companies to meet a departure time and an arrival time. They lease the usage within that schedule and use their own equipment. Think airlines

Comment by Truthful James Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 11:13 am
Truthful, you forgot the 90 minutes that you have to allow for check-in and security.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 2:36 pm
Abraham Lincoln Airport sure could be up and running before ANY concrete is poured for new runways at O’Hare. Daley’s plan to expand the airport is going faster than a Led Zeppelin. What was once a $6 billion project is now upwards of $13 billion in just 3 years. Who’s gonna pay that, a bankrupt United Airlines ….HAHAHAHA!

Comment by pickles!! Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 3:19 pm
For all of you downstate folks, yes Gary and Rockford would work…you can fly from Peoria, Springfield, and Moline to Rockford, and then to??? Lets not forget, the two largest airlines in the country have what is called “Hubs” at O’Hare, and that is why O’Hare is bursting at the seams. The proposed expansion of O’Hare will probably end up costing so much money it would have been cheaper to build a brand new, 120 gate, 6 runway airport at Peotone and then have United or American move their “hub” there…

It’s funny living in Chicago and hearing fellow Chicagoan’s talk about flying out of O’Hare. Typical comments I hear are: “The proposed expansion probably won’t reduce delays”, “We don’t need a third airport”, “Peotone is too far! I never will drive down there to use it”, and (usually in the same breath) “I do like driving up to Milwaukee to use their airport…it’s less crowded, etc, etc…” So Peotone would be too far, but Milwaukee’s not???

O’Hare is great for the ability for me to fly direct to just about anywhere in the world. It’s also a nightmare most of the time because of the unpredictable and chaotic flight times.
And unless you flyers downstate are doing business in downtown Chicago, how many of you really care when you connect thru Chicago how close the airport is to downtown? You want to arrive on time and hopefully not miss your connecting flight (provided it’s leaving on time). This is simply an issue that simply using Rockford or Gary as “reliever” airports is not going to solve.

Comment by JamieT Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 5:51 pm
There is like 1 profitable airline out there right now, and we need another airport? This is just a sham to temporarily get more jobs… until all 3 airorts become stagnant at the same time. Then all 3 are laying off workers. Is there really a market for the 3rd airport???

Comment by Lovie's Leather Tuesday, Jun 13, 06 @ 6:39 pm
I see $58 million go to Gary which is built and has a runway virtually sitting empty. It is governed by the Gary/Chicago Airport authority which circumvented the state legislature when it was created. No airlines have agreed to use Peotone any more than they use the other 12 airports that could “relieve air traffic congestion”, and then I see people in communities like Harvey, who apparently don’t have two nickels that it can rub together or balance give ALNAC $25,000 for a PR plan. And no one questions it. In terms of creating jobs, no one seems to question where the 15,000 jobs comes from. When Reps Kelly, Miller,Davis and Senator Meeks all got in the number was 260,000 jobs. Quite a fall to 15,000. How many of them will be the standard union jobs. And how many people in the poorest part of Jackson’s district will access to them?

And by the way, (here is a devil’s advocate question) why is it so wrong for communities to actively fight development they don’t want? Isn’t that what self-governing is about? I mean, I’m one of those nauseating liberals….I may not agree with what you said, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it. For all of the vitriol spouted at the Iron Ring towns for fighting the airport just so they can control it, it actually seems like they and their constituents don’t want it. They may not be able to build an airport, but they sure as hell can stop one and they have been doing that effectively for over 30 years now.

I understand why there is so much emotion on all sides of this issue, but it is drowning out any effective conversation about ANYTHING ELSE!!!!! All roads don’t lead to Peotone, and frankly I’m sick of it. Our schools need help, municipalities need to understand that getting a new Bed Bath and Beyond isn’t exactly economic development, and most importantly as long as these communities remain as divisive as they are…the airport is never coming. What do we do then? We’ll be having the same conversation in another 20 years about how badly we need an airport. The sad part about all of this is that people aren’t allowed to have an independent opinion without being labeled racist, sell-outs, ignorant or whatever from both sides. This issue has become the litmus test question in the South Suburbs and as far as I’m concerned, that’s just as dangerous on a local and state level as it is on a Federal level. Single issue voters scare me. When you add a stupid governor to the mix, you got a whole lot of hullabaloo about nothing. Edgar didn’t make it happen, Ryan didn’t make it happen, what makes anybody think Blago can make it happen? I wish these folks out here would put all that effort into something that Blago could make happen….education funding reform. Right now, they’re all fighting about something that is at best 5 years away, and that is only if everyone can get back in the sandbox and play nice. I’m sick of all of them.

Comment by sideline watcher Thursday, Jun 15, 06 @ 2:23 pm
sideline watcher –

A new airport is not needed. O’Hare Airport expansion is not needed. A midwest hub for high speed rail (200 mph plus) for passengers and freight, with spokes going out to major cities in surrounding states is needed. Given downtown to downtown elapsed times it looks like 250-300 miles. It will replace most of the commuter and regional gates and landing slots at O’Hare.

I’polis is working on plans to be the midwest hub, which makes Chicago only a spoke — the Joliet of the 21st century.

Comment by Truthful James Thursday, Jun 15, 06 @ 2:42 pm