GARY — The Gary/Chicago International Airport’s $174 million runway expansion is proceeding quickly now that Canadian National Railway has cutover to its new set of tracks.
CN transferred to its new tracks on Oct. 27, and is almost finished with dismantling the old tracks, ties and gravel. It will free up the airport to dismantle the berm — starting on Nov. 24 — that is blocking its existing 7,000-foot runway from being connected with its 1,900-foot extension. That work could be finished, weather permitting, by mid-December.
Bill Bow, a Vice President with AECOM, said soil testing on the berm took place in late October. Some of the soil in the project’s footprint has been required remediation due to contamination by industrial chemicals, but the berm seems not to be affected.
“I would characterize the results as entirely as expected, and good news for the project,” Bow said.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management recommended installing monitoring wells in the area. Bow said there may be some additional testing down the road.
As a result, the dirt from the berm will be used to raise the height of some perimeter roads and serve as structural fill for the project.
“As of now, we continue to be on schedule,” said interim airport executive director B.R. Lane.
With the recent opening of the B. Coleman Aviation hangar, the board took two votes to terminate a vacant hangar lease and approve a new ground lease for B. Coleman’s parent company East Lake Management Development Corp.