MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION JOIN SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG TO CELEBRATE KEY MILESTONE IN O’HARE 21 PROJECT WITH FAA DECISION
Following a thorough environmental review, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued its finding there is “no significant impact” of the proposed Terminal Area Plan from the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), paving the way
to start construction on two new satellite concourses at O’Hare International
Airport — the new O’Hare Global Terminal that will replace Terminal 2 — and other associated projects Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced today at a celebratory event with Secretary Pete Buttigieg of the Department of Transportation (DOT), which oversees the FAA.
The FAA review process, which began in 2018, consisted of a complex technical review of the environmental impact of the Terminal Area Plan, or “TAP.” This review, which is common for large airport capital projects, was required by the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.
Key engagement included coordination with federal, state, tribal, and local officials, a two month public review period, and two public workshops. All comments received from members of the public were addressed in the final
Environmental Assessment, which was released on Monday, Nov.21.
There is no significant impact to the surrounding environment from the TAP.
The TAP should ultimately decrease emissions by reducing taxi times.
The TAP will not adversely affect the existing historic terminal elements, as determined by the State Historic Preservation Office in Springfield and the FAA.
The TAP is a critical component of the O’Hare 21 plan, an ongoing investment in the airport’s terminals that will further support the breadth of air service that make O’Hare one of the world’s busiest airports.
Among other benefits, the TAP will:
Maintain operational efficiency for existing and future air service. Improve the passenger experience with updated facilities and amenities.
Provide increased gate flexibility for all sizes of aircraft. Reduce aircraft taxiing times and wait times for gates. Cohesively integrate all four O’Hare terminal facilities.
Provide for significantly improved domestic and international connections.
The FAA’s decision clears the way for construction to begin on the satellite concourses and related airfield work when the ground thaws this spring. The current construction timeline calls for the first satellite concourse to be completed in 2027 and the second satellite concourse to reach completion in 2028.
Demolition of Terminal 2, the airport’s oldest passenger facility, will occur in phases. The work is scheduled to begin in 2026, with a target completion date of 2030 for construction of the O’Hare Global Terminal. Construction of a large
tunnel connecting passengers, baggage, and utilities between the O’Hare Global Terminal and the satellite concourses is anticipated to begin in 2024 with a construction completion date of 2030. All dates are subject to additional alteration as the extensive and challenging construction cycle begins next
year.
The TAP was agreed to as a part of the 2018 O’Hare Airline Use and Lease Agreement, which approved more than $8.5 billion of new capital funding in 2018 dollars. The agreement allows for increased project costs to account for
the timing of the development. The current capital program for O’Hare is approximately $12.1 billion, which accounts for current project estimates, escalated costs permitted under the 2018 agreement, as well as capital investments agreed to both since and prior to the 2018 agreement. The total budget for the TAP is currently estimated to be $7.1 billion, or 59% of the overall
capital plan.
Notably, O’Hare is one of only two airports in the country coming out of the pandemic with two higher credit ratings than it had going into
it, with two recent upgrades from Fitch Ratings, and one from S&P
Global Ratings on the O’Hare General Airport Revenue Bonds and the Passenger Facility Charge Bonds. These are the first rating upgrades
for O’Hare in at least six years.
For the latest updates on O’Hare 21, follow @Fly2OHare on Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram and visit ord21.com, where you can sign up
for email updates from the CDA.
