Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., joined by 30 other elected leaders, wrote to Gov. Bruce Rauner expressing their “collective support for construction of the South Suburban Airport” in Peotone. The leaders called the project “an incubator of innovation and generator of growth for our nation.”
“For decades, we’ve needed a new airport to reach our region’s fullest potential. A groundbreaking is finally within reach,” said Kelly, who represents Homewood and Flossmoor in Congress.
“We need to be 100 percent clear with our partners that the political and business leaders of Cook, Will and Kankakee counties are committed to seeing that this airport is built and successful,” she noted.
In March, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) released a Request for Information (RFI) for the South Suburban Airport project. Multiple firms responded to IDOT’s RFI, setting the stage for rapid progress on the project, which has been in the planning stages for many years.
Advocates predict the airport project will reduce congestion, add tens of thousands of jobs to Illinois’ economy and generate tens of millions of dollars in additional tax revenue for the state.
“What we know about the south suburban region is that it has suffered from a systemic pattern of disinvestment for decades. We also know that our economy is changing at lightning speed, creating increased demand on our transportation infrastructure,” noted Illinois Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields.
“Supporting the construction and operation of the third airport accomplishes two very important goals: ensuring that our world class transportation network grows with our economy and giving our region the chance to participate in that growth through jobs, economic development and opportunity,” Hutchinson said.