PURCHASE OF LAND FOR THE SOUTH SUBURBAN AIRPORT ACCELERATED

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. -- Hanson Engineers Inc. of Springfield, Ill., has been selected to manage the acquisition of nearly 4,200 acres of land for the South Suburban inaugural airport in Will County. The contract requires completion of negotiations for the purchase of the 4,200
acres over a two-year period, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced today.

Hanson is pre-qualified with IDOT and is a multi-disciplined firm in engineering, architecture and program management. The firm has done extensive airport design work at large and small airports in Illinois, such as Waukegan Regional Airport, Decatur Municipal Airport and the Springfield Capitol Airport. In addition, their sub-consultants have done major expansion and rehabilitation work at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and the Nashville International Airport.

Hanson was chosen through competitive selection in compliance with the state's procurement code. The cost for the two-year project is capped at $7,091,202.

The key tasks the firm is charged with are:

• Negotiate acquisition of all property in the proposed South Suburban Airport inaugural area in a two-year period. In addition, Hanson will make hardship and protective land buys within
  the 24,000 full build area.
• Administer and perform property appraisals, appraisal reviews, negotiations, survey and plat work, environmental audits for each parcel, and provide relocation assistance.
• Manage property acquired to ensure it remains on the tax rolls and keep the property in a safe and sanitary condition. Viable farms acquired will be managed in a manner to maximize income to the state until the property is needed for construction of the airport.
• Develop a data processing system to track acquisition of all property, maintain data on plat maps, and develop a Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS is a computer system that
  takes information and connects it to maps to provide in depth information for analysis. After development and implementation, the GIS system will become the property of the department of transportation.

As part of the public information program for the South Suburban Airport, the department of transportation will require disclosure of property owners and persons holding a beneficial interest through a blind trust before any state funds are expended to purchase property. Those names, property identification number and the price paid will be posted on the IDOT Internet site South Suburban Airport link.

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