Congressional Delegation Asks for Rail Company Cooperation on Gary/Chicago Airport Project

U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar, Indiana 1stDistrict Congressman Pete Visclosky, and seven other members of the Indiana Congressional delegation have asked three major railroad companies to complete a series of agreements with the Gary/Chicago International Airport so the runway expansion project can meet a construction deadline.

"It is our understanding that the Federal Aviation Administration requires that the Airport complete its runway extension project by 2013, and we emphasize the importance of promptly finalizing the necessary agreements with the Airport. We realize that if the Airport fails to meet that deadline, the nearly $160 million which has been committed to this project by the federal government, the State of Indiana, the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, as well as various local governments, would be in jeopardy," congressional delegation members said in letters to the Presidents of CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Corp., and the Canadian National Railway Company.

The three rail companies and the airport signed a final memorandum of understanding on the overall track relocation project in May. "We look forward to learning of good news as (rail company) staff and the Airport work together in good faith to prepare the agreements, plans, drawings and cost estimates that are necessary," the members' letter said. The delegation wants to make certain there is no delay that causes a lost economic opportunity for the Region.

"This project remains critical to economic development in Northwest Indiana," the delegation wrote in the letters. "We strongly support the new and exciting economic and job growth opportunities the runway extension project will ultimately bring to the Northwest Indiana Region."

The letter was signed by Lugar, Visclosky, Sen. Dan Coats, Cong. Joe Donnelly, Todd Rokita, Dan Burton, Mike Pence, Andre Carson and Todd Young.

Read this original document at: http://www.lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=334154and