CHICAGO—Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Timothy W. Martin announced today IDOT has submitted a revised Concept Alternatives Report to the FAA that includes a reduction of the airport footprint by 2,350 acres and allows for the Peotone-Beecher Road to remain open. Today’s submission also includes the final four chapters of the Concept Alternatives Analysis, the formal plan for the airport that includes the technical layout of the proposed airport.

“We’ve listened to the community and worked with the FAA, Will County and ALNAC to adjust the footprint of our preferred alternative that will release this area south of the Peotone-Beecher Road,” Secretary Martin said. “We’re re-submitting the Concept Alternatives Analysis with some changes recommended by the FAA in our existing chapters, and we’re also including the final four technical chapters.”

Late this spring IDOT submitted the first 8 chapters of the Concept Alternatives Analysis and identified the preferred alternative, based on the proposal created by the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission. The technical layout includes a runway of approximately 10,000 feet in length and reduces the ultimate footprint to less than 20,000 acres.

IDOT was able to reduce the footprint by nearly 2,350 acres by removing a portion south of the Peotone-Beecher Road. This reduction is the result of moving the proposed crosswind runway to another location and the airport services area, which includes wastewater treatment, fuel farm, storm water management ponds and environmental mitigation sites.

The Concept Alternative Analysis is the third of five documents used as “building blocks” for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement by the FAA. IDOT will prepare and submit to the FAA a Master Plan and Airport Layout Plan based on the preferred alternative.