reprinted from:
City considers direct rail line to
airports;
By Robert C. Herguth A soon-to-be-hiked tax on airline tickets might help the City of Chicago fund a high-speed rail line officials are considering building between downtown and O'Hare and Midway airports, Chicago's aviation commissioner said Monday. "That's certainly a possibility," Tom Walker told the Chicago Sun-Times. Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation allowing airports to increase the passenger facility charge (PFC) to $4.50-per-ticket, up from $3. Walker said the city hasn't decided whether to impose the full tax hike. Either way, city officials are exploring ways to spend the extra cash, and the proposed rail line could benefit, Walker said. "We haven't gone through all the scenarios, over what that additional $1.50 could fund," he said. "But it certainly could (help finance the design and construction of the rail line), and a portion of that would be eligible for PFC funds." City officials envision trains traveling at least partly on L tracks and always on the CTA's right-of-way, the source said. A terminal would be located in the lower level of a downtown high-rise now under construction at Dearborn and Adams, and airline passengers could check their bags there before boarding trains. Officials haven't decided whether the trains would be regular L trains. In any event, they would make limited stops and travel, at times, at speeds well beyond 55 mph, the typical top speed of L trains. Another source suggested PFC revenues could leverage bonds for the effort. A "city directive" is that taxpayer money not be used, the source said. Within a few weeks, the city will consult with local airlines about possible PFC-funded projects before submitting an application to the Federal Aviation Administration, said Chicago aviation spokeswoman Monique Bond. Several airline leaders have already been contacted about the rail line and had a "positive" reaction to the plan, the source said. Walker said some of the extra tax revenues, which could top
$40 million annually, will finance sound insulation for city and suburban buildings. He
wouldn't divulge the other initiatives under consideration, but previously has said some
money will go toward the $3.17 billion World Gateway program. |
