Waukegan National Airport Runway Improvement Project Scaled Back

A proposed runway improvement project at Waukegan National Airport will be 1,000 feet shorter than originally envisioned, requiring only a sliver of neighboring forest preserve property instead of 52 acres. This change is in response to a shift in federal guidelines, which has significantly altered the scope of the project. The revised project aims to meet modern FAA safety standards while minimizing its impact on the surrounding environment. Forest preserve commissioners and conservationists have welcomed the news, citing a reduced burden on the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

Key Takeaways:

• The proposed runway improvement project at Waukegan National Airport will be 1,000 feet shorter, requiring only a small portion of the neighboring forest preserve property.
• The change is due to a shift in federal guidelines, which has altered the scope of the project significantly.
• The revised project will meet modern FAA safety standards, while minimizing its impact on the surrounding environment.
• The project was initially proposed to build a 7,000-foot runway, but the updated design will meet the requirements for the Gulfstream G-V/550, the "critical aircraft" that drives design factors including runway length and width.
• The cost of the revised project will be drastically reduced.
• The airport is used by private aviation, law enforcement, the U.S. military and Coast Guard, emergency responders, health care providers, flight training schools, and local businesses, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy annually.
• The airport supports 900 jobs and is a vital component of the local economy.
• Local residents still need to see the updated environmental assessment to gauge the impact of the project on nearby neighborhoods and schools.

Statistics:

• The proposed runway improvement project will be 1,000 feet shorter than originally envisioned.
• The revised project requires only a small portion (1-52 acres) of the original 52 acres of forest preserve property.
• The initial project proposal would have cost $186 million.
• The revised project cost is significantly reduced, but the exact amount is not specified.
• The airport contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy annually.
• The airport supports 900 jobs.

Sources:

• "Waukegan Port District"
• FAA spokesperson
• Ty Kovach, Lake County Forest Preserve District executive director
• Skip Goss, Waukegan National Airport general manager
• Douglas Ower, Sierra Club Woods and Wetlands Group chair