The plan for a south suburban airport in Peotone has been revived and is "gaining traction."
"The proposed South Suburban Airport is again 'gaining traction' focusing on air cargo as e-commerce warehouses and logistics facilities have flourished in the Southland," state Sen. Robin Kelly wrote in a March 17 Twitter post.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a proposal for a new airport in the Chicago area's south suburbs, which has been talked about for a long time, is gaining momentum again. This time, the focus is on air cargo due to the growth of e-commerce warehouses and logistics facilities in the area. Supporters believe that an airport in Will County could capitalize on the demand for speedy delivery and the presence of Amazon warehouses, train facilities and highways.
“We see it as economic development for our region,” Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood), said. “Not only our region but also the entire state of Illinois. And right now we’re losing out to a couple of our neighboring states.”
Davis is the sponsor a bill pending in the Legislature that intends to get the project moving by directing the state to start the process of soliciting proposals from developers. Davis said the goal of the measure is to determine the feasibility of building the airport.
Despite gaining traction, the proposal for a new airport in the south suburbs of Chicago has been met with resistance from environmentalists and farmers in Will County, Chicago Tribune reported. Critics argue that the airport would waste valuable agricultural land, result in environmental issues and encourage urban sprawl. Moreover, existing airports nearby already have cargo facilities. There are also concerns about whether the project will move forward at all, given the lengthy history of discussions without progress.
The proposed airport could attract shipping companies like Amazon and UPS, as the area already has many of their fulfillment centers and warehouses. Amazon has opened multiple centers in the state of Illinois, while UPS operates out of nearby airports, with most of its flights coming from Rockford, according to The Chicago Tribune.