The Gary/Chicago International Airport authority is moving ahead with land purchases, railroad contracts and design work for relocating railroad tracks to make way for expansion of its main runway.
At its meeting Monday, the airport authority voted 6-0 to make offers on two parcels of land where the EJ&E tracks now owned by Canadian National Railway will be rerouted.
The authority will offer $41,000 for the 14-acre Morrison property and $592,000 for three parcels known as the PI&I property, according to the resolution passed Monday. The first property is just north of Chicago Avenue and the PI&I property is north of Industrial Highway.
The current route of the EJ&E tracks, which passes just 130 feet from the northwest end of the airport's main runway, will be shifted west near Cline Avenue and will return to its original route by paralleling CSX tracks north of Chicago Avenue.
The airport's $128 million project will expand the main runway to 8,900 feet from its current 7,000 feet so it can handle larger planes carrying passengers or cargo.
Project manager Scott Wheeler, of engineering firm Aecom, told the authority board a proposed purchase and sale agreement has been sent to Canadian National Railway, which will be a key pact for getting the tracks moved.
In addition, the airport is negotiating final agreements with CSX and Norfolk Southern, both of which cross the EJ&E tracks north of the airport, according to Airport Director Steve Landry.
The contractor for designing a vehicle overpass for railroad tracks crossing Industrial Avenue also has been given a notice to proceed with design work, Wheeler said. The winning bidder for that contract was Michael Baker Jr. Inc., of Indianapolis. The firm is the engineering unit of Michael Baker Corp.