From Cemetery to Runway

A DuPage County Circuit Court judge last week handed over the title of St. Johannes Cemetery to Chicago, advancing the city's effort to clear a path for one of several new runways planned as part of the $8 billion expansion of O'Hare International Airport.

Department of Aviation commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino expressed appreciation for the court's decision. The city is paying $630,000 for the cemetery.

The victory is the latest for Chicago, which struck an agreement with the suburb of Bensenville last year, ending the village's long-standing challenge to the project and clearing the way for its acquisition and demolition next year of properties in the path of a new runway.

The advances come as Chicago plans this year to sell up to $1.5 billion of new-money and refunding revenue bonds, with some proceeds earmarked for the expansion project. But the overall project still faces significant fiscal challenges as struggling airlines refuse to sign off on the future pieces of the plan that include a new western terminal. The latest dispute involves the city's plans to retire some debt early, increasing near-term costs for the airlines.

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