Last New O'hare Runway Commissioned – Virtually
By Larry E. Nazimek
Entrance to Runway 9C-27C.
(Courtesy Larry E. Nazimek)
On Nov. 5, 2020, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport saw the opening of its last new runway, 9C-27C. Due to the COVID-19 PANdemIC, however, it was unlike their previous runway openings, where dignitaries lined up for a ribbon cut- ting, with airplanes from United and American, O’Hare’s two largest operating airlines, on display, followed by a lavish reception with ice sculptures and delicacies from O’Hare’s many elegant restaurants.
This is the fourth new runway to open as part of the O’Hare Modernization Plan. This plan also saw the extension of one runway, and another is slated to be extended in 2021. The OMP set out to build a series of six parallel east-west run- ways to allow O’Hare to operate more efficiently in all types of weather.
Aerial view of Runway 9C and surrounding area.
(Courtesy Larry E. Nazimek)
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Aviation, joined by former Mayor Richard M. Daley, U.S. Senators Richard J. Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, FAA Great Lakes Regional Administrator Rebecca MacPherson, Alderman Matt O’Shea, representatives from American and United Airlines, and civic and labor leaders joined together to celebrate the virtual commissioning of Runway 9C/27C.
This 11,245-foot-long, 200-foot- wide runway is one of three runways north of the Terminal, with the other three to the south.
Approach end of Runway 27C.
(Courtesy Larry E. Nazimek)
Mayor Lightfoot recognized former Mayor Daley for his “leadership and fore- sight, who pushed this project forward through sheer force of will that “solidified Chicago’s future as the premier 21st Century global air hub...”
“Sheer force of will” would be considered by many to be an understatement. When Daley announced the program, people were aghast at the size of the project and the disruption that it would cause. He said, with a straight face, that they were blowing things out of proportion, because he was only adding one runway. In a sense, that was true, because, while runways were added, some existing run- ways were closed, but it was a case of people not being so angered that someone was trying to fool them, as much as they were angered by the fact that the person thought that they might be stupid enough to believe it.
The progression of the Plan was a rocky one. It involved the destruction of large sections of Bensenville, IL, where long-time residents were forced to move.
Graves at a small cemetery were dug up and moved, while those wishing to visit the graves of loved ones at another small cemetery would now have to enter the airport property and be surrounded by airport buildings.
United Airlines Boeing 787 at Runway 9C-27C opening.
(Courtesy Larry E. Nazimek)
Those whose homes would be under the flight paths of the large aircraft complained about the noise that they and the schools would have to endure. When the planes started flying over, television reporters tried to conduct interviews of those affected, but were continually inter- rupted by the noise. Television reception was also affected. These people were not like those who build homes next to an air- port and then complain about the noise. In this case, it was the airport that expanded, changed the flight paths to go over their homes, and included new air- craft that are much larger and noisier than those previous flown. The City is paying for sound insulation for the homes and schools.
Lawsuits, meetings, and protests fol- lowed, but the Daley juggernaut prevailed, just as it had over the destruction of Meigs Field. The O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) meets regularly to address these issues. ONCC Chmn., Mt. Prospect Mayor Arlene A. Juracek, pointed out that “The opening of runway 9C/27C is another step to a more balanced airfield for the communities surrounding O’Hare.”
Since this event was a type of victory celebration for Daley, it was only appropriate that he said, “If there’s one thing every Mayor of Chicago appreciates it’s how critical O’Hare is to our City. OMP was a bold plan, and the process was far from painless, but it was the right thing to do. I’m proud to stand with City leaders and our airline and federal partners to celebrate this milestone.” Reflecting on the various agencies responsible for the success of the OMP, Senator Durbin said, “OMP required many parties to come together including the federal government, the City, local communities, and the airlines.”
Senator Duckworth, a pilot and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Security, said, “I’m proud to see this new phase of the OMP begin today, and I’ll continue working with Mayor Lightfoot, Senator Durbin and others to help ensure projects like these have the federal sup- port they deserve.”
The OMP improvements have led to increased efficiencies that contribute to an overall 61 percent reduction in system impact delays since the first new runway opened in 2008. Improvements included the Central Deicing Facility, a crossfield taxiway system, and relocation of perimeter taxiways (Taxiways A and B) around the central terminal core.
Initially, Runway 9C/27C will be used for departing flights before maturing into service as one of the airport’s primary use arrival runways in 2021. It is O’Hare’s second-longest runway, and will provide balance between flight activity using the north and south airfields as well as noise exposure among communities to the east and west of O’Hare. Chicago Approach Control has several scenarios for distributing aircraft departures and arrivals, so as to minimize the misery of the aircraft noise to any one community.
To get an idea as to the amount of traffic coming into O’Hare, one need only look at the lights of incoming air- craft in the evening that are in line for landing... something reminiscent of the Berlin Airlift. One can also look at the Web Trak display from the CDA’s website: https://webtrak.emsbk.com/cda.
