O'Hare Runway Option Would Hurt Elmhurst: Officials

Elmhurst IL

23 February, 2021

10:29 AM

Description

ELMHURST, IL — One of O'Hare International Airport's two alternatives for runway use is considered to be bad for Elmhurst. Unfortunately, a local official says, it is the option most likely to pass. On Thursday, a subcommittee of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission plans to review the two alternatives. The commission is made up of dozens of suburbs. Elmhurst's representative on the Fly Quiet subcommittee is Bob Dunn, an alderman from northside Ward 2. Dunn said the group has whittled eight alternatives down to two. Elmhurst favors Alternative B, which distributes runaway use equally three ways — north, south and diagonal. The diagonal runway use most affects Elmhurst. Under Alternative B, the diagonal runaway use would be one-third of the time, while it would be one-half under Alternative H. But Dunn said the communities to the east and west, which prefer Alternative H, have greater numbers on the commission. "The east-west communities have a significant majority on the Fly Quiet committee. In terms of votes, it's tough to move a diagonal favorable plan forward because of that," he said in an interview. Elmhurst's allies include Villa Park and those to the northeast of the airport such as Des Plaines, Glenview, Park Ridge and Niles, Dunn said. The Fly Quiet subcommittee's virtual meeting is set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The agenda and Zoom connection information is available online. In an email to Patch, the other Ward 2 alderman, Jacob Hill, said he has encouraged residents to take part in the virtual meeting to ask that Alternative H be removed from consideration. He called Alternative B "far more equitable," saying it has "more even runway resource use and non-repetitive traffic." The Fly Quiet subcommittee is not expected to vote on a plan this week. After it does, Dunn said, it will go to the full commission, which is likely to approve it. Then the airport is expected to send the plan to the FAA for approval.