On Friday, a group of Congresspeople from Illinois called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to assist in the O’Hare Terminal Area Plan, or “TAP”. The group argued that federal support could assist in improving savings on the program, which is intended to increase O’Hare International Airport’s gate capacity by at least 25%. The project seeks to modernize O’Hare’s sprawling system of runways, and to assist in the completion of the new $2.2 billion Global Terminal.
The new Global Terminal will replace Terminal 2 and will effectively double the size of the existing terminal to accommodate both domestic and international flights. Currently scheduled to open in 2030, the project received construction approval in 2022 following delays which have impacted the rest of TAP, including enhancements to the Terminal 5 area. The COVID-19 pandemic halted progress on much of the multi-phase program.
In a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg, the members of Congress wrote, “To maximize the return on investment from ORD runway modernization, it is imperative that public and private stakeholders once again come together to complete the ORD Terminal Area Program (TAP).
“This program will greatly enhance O’Hare and the airlines that use it by increasing gate capacity by at least 25 percent and creating a new, first-of-its-kind Global Terminal.”
O’Hare is one of the largest airports in the world, and by far the most nationally and internationally connected airport in the United States. The Global Terminal will expand that already existing capacity.
