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1984 | 1986 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006
1984
In its Record of Decision (ROD) for the Chicago-O'Hare International Airport Master Plan, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged that several studies had already considered a new air carrier airport in the Chicago vicinity. There was, however, no agreement on a site. The FAA decision stated that the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) would address the issue through the state planning process.
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1986
The Chicago Airport Capacity Study, sponsored by the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, with participation from the city of Chicago and FAA, began to evaluate aviation capacity issues in the Chicago region.
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1988
The Chicago Airport Capacity Study concluded that neither Midway nor O'Hare could be expanded to meet Chicago's long-term aviation demands and that a new "supplemental" airport was needed. Four sites were selected for additional study: Bi-State (Illinois and Indiana), Gary (Indiana), and sites in Kankakee and Will Counties, Illinois. The Joliet Arsenal site (Illinois) was also examined but not until 1992.
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1989
The Illinois-Indiana Regional Airport Study, (I-IRAP), sponsored jointly by Illinois, Indiana and the city of Chicago, with FAA participation, commenced. The study initially focused on the four sites identified in the Chicago Airport Capacity Study.
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1990
With the Mayor of Chicago supporting the building of a third airport, the city of Chicago submitted a study to FAA suggesting that an air carrier airport was technically feasible in the Lake Calumet area. Subsequently, this site was added to the I-IRAP study for consideration.
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1991
The Chicago Delay Task Force, which studied flight delay reduction, reiterated the urgency of providing additional airport improvements in the Chicago metropolitan area. One recommendation included the building of two new runways at O'Hare. Study sponsors included the city of Chicago, FAA, and Commercial/General Aviation Aircraft Operators at O'Hare and Midway airports.
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1992
The Policy Committee of I-IRAP recommended Lake Calumet as the preferred site of the new airport. However, the Illinois Legislature failed to support development of an airport at that site. The city of Chicago then withdrew the Lake Calumet site for consideration. The Governor of Illinois then selected the Will County site as the preferred site for further study.
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1993
In January, FAA made a tentative allocation for preparation of an airport master plan and environmental assessment for construction of a supplemental airport. In September, FAA withdrew the allocation.
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1994
The state of Illinois started the Phase I Engineering Study and Environmental Assessment to prepare a master plan, an environmental assessment, an Airport Layout Plan and a financial feasibility analysis for the development of the South Suburban Airport.
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1995
The state of Illinois began the Market Survey Research program to determine the demand for service at the new airport. The initial airport marketing program also began. State funding was also provided to communities surrounding the proposed Will County airport site, for updating of local municipal long-range planning documents.
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1997
The state of Illinois began a Private Financing Initiative to determine the level of interest in private equity markets to participate in construction of the new airport.
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1998
The state of Illinois completed the Environmental Assessment. The document was submitted to FAA for review and approval. The Governor of Illinois declared his support for funding initial land acquisition at the Will County site.
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1999
On March 3, the Governor of Illinois announced that the state of Illinois submitted to FAA a revised plan for an "inaugural airport" at the Will County site that included additional data on the initial demand levels for a single runway airport. In May, the Governor of Illinois announced that $75 million would be included in the Illinois FIRST program for the state of Illinois to begin acquiring land for the airport project.
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2000
On Jan. 27, the state of Illinois submitted to FAA a proposal to begin a tiered Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. On May 23, FAA agreed to begin preparing a tiered EIS document for site approval and acquisition of land. On Aug. 30, FAA held Scoping Meetings at Governors State University. The meetings allowed for the public and governmental agencies to comment on FAA's intent to prepare the tiered EIS. On Sept.11, the Governor again reiterated his strong support for building the third airport. The Governor said, "There still is one piece that's missing from the Southland's economic development plan. We still need to build a third airport in Will County."
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2001
On Feb. 21, the Governor announced that IDOT would begin acquiring land at the proposed Will County airport site. On March 7, IDOT began advertising for consultants to handle land acquisition from willing sellers. On April 4, IDOT opened the interim Matteson project office to begin the land acquisition process for willing sellers and hardship cases.
On July 2, IDOT awarded a contract to Hanson Engineers Inc. (now Hanson Professional Services Inc.) to begin the inaugural site land acquisition process. On Aug. 6, IDOT moved the project office from 310 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago to the permanent Matteson project office.
On Oct. 4, FAA held a public hearing and workshop on the Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (for site approval and purchase of land by the state of Illinois) at the Matteson Holiday Inn.
On Dec. 5, the Governor of Illinois and the Mayor of Chicago announced agreement on O'Hare International Airport expansion, and the building of the South Suburban Airport.
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2002
On Jan. 16, IDOT announced the purchase of the first parcel of land for the airport. The Earl property, a hardship acquisition, was purchased for $47,000.
On April 22, FAA's Chicago Airport District Office released the Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), for circulation and review.
On July 12, FAA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on the SSA Tier 1 EIS. FAA determined that the Will County Site was a technically and environmentally feasible location, and that the benefits of approving a site, so that the State could acquire land to protect against suburban development and protect the airspace, outweighed the adverse environmental impacts of preserving this option as outlined in the FEIS.
On Sept. 26, FAA approved the SSA Tier 2 grant application to conduct the master plan study and Tier 2 EIS for development of the inaugural airport at the Will County, Illinois site.
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2003
On October 28, FAA published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a tiered Environmental Impact Statement and conduct environmental scoping on December 3 at Governors State University, for the construction and operation of inaugural airport facilities by the state of Illinois.
On December 3, FAA conducted one agency scoping meeting and one public scoping meeting at Governors State University in University Park, Illinois. The meetings were held in conjunction with an informational workshop that included a slide and poster board presentation of the proposed project. Written comments on the project were accepted until December 19, 2003.
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2004
IDOT prepared a Draft Projections of Aeronautical Activity for the Inaugural Airport Program. This document was submitted for review to the FAA. On June 4, 2004, FAA approved the report stating that it believes the document projects passenger demand and aviation activity at reasonable levels.
IDOT announced in May 2004 that it was removing Heatherbrook Estates from the list of parcels needed for the SSA.
IDOT established a Local Advisory Group consisting of elected officials, county and village planners, emergency service districts, school districts and other governmental agencies with jurisdiction over the airport site or surrounding areas. Meetings were held with the group on Monday, April 26, Monday, May 24, Wednesday, June 16, and Thursday, September 2.
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2005
IDOT prepared a Draft Demand/Capacity Analysis & Facility Requirements report for the Inaugural Airport Program. This document was submitted in March to the FAA for review.
IDOT submitted a Draft Existing Conditions report for the new airport to FAA in October, for their review.
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2006
IDOT prepared a Draft Socio-Economic Impact Assessment for the Inaugural Airport. The Draft Socio-Economic Impact Assessment report was submitted in September to the FAA for their review.
IDOT prepared a Draft Baseline User, Wildlife and Habitat Study for the Forest Preserve District of Will County Properties in the vicinity of the proposed airport. It was submitted in October to the FAA for their review.
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