(Photo provided, Gary/Chicago International Airport)
In Lake County, Gary/Chicago International Airport held a ceremonial ground breaking Tuesday October 8, 2024, for the initial phase of about $24 million in infrastructure enhancements to its air cargo sector. Airport officials say improvements include the direct installation of a Jet-A fuel pipeline to service large-capacity storage tanks at the airport. This phase will also create and upgrade enhancements to the airport’s sanitary sewer system, as well as creating a new cargo logistics apron that will ultimately be utilized to accommodate an additional eight air cargo planes to operate out of the airport concurrently. Over $10 million of Community Project Funding was secured by Indiana Congressman Frank J. Mrvan with additional funding from the state and the bi-partisan infrastructure bill, a news release said.
“This is a pivotal step to securing the future of our increasingly important air cargo offering, with these infrastructure investments made possible by the past several years’ of increasing cargo sector growth,” said Dan Vicari, Executive Director of the Gary/Chicago International Airport. “We are immensely grateful for the partnership of Congressman Mrvan, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the State of Indiana for their continued support for our airport and its ability to fuel the local economy.”
“Thank you to all of the leaders with the Gary/Chicago International Airport, the State of Indiana, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for taking these tangible actions to invest in the long-term economic success of the City of Gary and Northwest Indiana,” said Congressman Mrvan. “This is the model of how we can collaborate at all levels of government and with private industry and our workforce to continue to create more good-paying job opportunities and business development throughout our region.”
“We congratulate the airport on this important milestone,” said Jeff Simonic, UPS Transportation President – Central Zone. “We are excited about the new cargo ramp space and look forward to seeing it enhance the airport’s ability to accommodate future growth.”
This Phase 1 project will also create and upgrade roughly $2 million in enhancements to the airport’s sanitary sewer system, which will be constructed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE). “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proud to participate in the Gary Airport Expansion project. This initiative not only strengthens vital infrastructure but also fosters environmental sustainability and economic growth in the region,” said Col. Kenneth P. Rockwell, Chicago District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Together with our partners, we are committed to ensuring that the community is equipped with the resources it needs to thrive for years to come.”
