What would change at the airport?
- A new 7,000-foot replacement runway would be about 1,000 feet longer than the current one and meet all federal safety laws and regulations
- New taxiways would be located at required distances from the runway for safe operations
- New runway safety areas would extend the airport boundary and act as buffers at the ends of the runway to enhance safe operations
What would NOT change at the airport?
- No commercial passenger operations (No United, American, Southwest, etc.)
- No large cargo operations (No UPS, FedEx, Amazon, etc.)
- No significant increase in flights. Today’s 50 takeoffs and landings would only increase two or three per day over the next 10 years.
- No change in type of aircraft using the airport
What is Waukegan National Airport’s impact on the local economy?
The Waukegan National Airport contributes an estimated $181 million to the local economy annually and is expected to grow to $236 million by 2030. The airport supports more than 900 local jobs. More than 25,000 people work for companies that depend on the airport for business operations. The airport generates $11 million annually in tax revenue to state and local governments.
How would the project be funded?
The cost estimate for the safety improvement project is $143 million. Funding would come from federal and state capital grants. The remainder would be paid by the users of the airport. There would be no local taxes required or raised to pay for this project.
Would operations change at the airport?
No, operations would not change. The existing runway does not allow enough space for cargo or commercial flights, nor would the proposed replacement runway. The entire airport is not nearly large enough for these types of operations. Furthermore, the Chicago area’s need for large-scale flights is more than adequately covered by other airports and there is no need for Waukegan National Airport to take on these operations.
How much land would be acquired?
To create the FAA-required runway safety areas, new land needs to be purchased by the airport. The airport has been purchasing land for many years as part of this plan. Additionally, about 52 acres of Forest Preserve land, 34 residencies, 6 businesses and vacant land would need to be purchased for the project. Property acquisition will follow federal regulations.
Are there other benefits of the project?
The long-sought widening of Green Bay Road near the airport would take place at the same time as the airport project, ending a traffic bottleneck. The five-lane road would go under the replacement runway and through traffic would be maintained during construction.
The Safety Improvement Project can help make possible one of the Lake County Forest Preserve’s long-planned trail connections for neighboring communities. A multi-use trail is envisioned on a portion of the Waukegan Savanna south of York House Road.
Learn more about the proposed trail and efforts to revitalize the Waukegan Savanna on pages 3-4 of the fact sheet.
What are the consequences of not proceeding?
The airport is required to meet FAA standards. Without the new runway replacement project, the airport would be closed for 3 years to reconstruct the existing runway, significantly reducing its economic contributions to the region. A reconstructed runway could be shorter than what exists today, limiting future operations.
Companies that depend on the airport may go elsewhere and might not return when the airport reopens. Emergency responders and critical healthcare users would lose an important asset. The future sustainability of the airport would be stymied.
