Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) has completed construction work in the arrivals section of its main terminals and has opened the O’Hare Main Parking Garage.
These achievements will help the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) welcome around 1.6 million travellers to O’Hare and Midway International Airports between Thursday 1 and Tuesday 6 September for the Labor Day weekend.
This influx of travellers will find the arrivals section of the main terminals free of construction for the first time in more than a year.
In addition, for the first time in two years, the 9,300-space O’Hare Main Parking Garage is completely open and ready for passengers.
Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said:The best of Chicago is on display in the final weeks of summertime. We're especially thrilled to welcome visitors at our airports and to our great city during this time so they can experience all that Chicago's 77 neighborhoods have to offer.
Lower Level Utilities and Pavement Repairs
As a part of the Lower Level Utilities and Pavement Repairs project, underground infrastructure work has been completed beneath the arrival lanes of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Installations include a 12-inch water main and new fire hydrants for emergency scenarios.
Additionally, reconstructed roadways and sidewalks now have crosswalks and handrails that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The 48.8 million USD project was completed in phases to maintain the pedestrian connections between the terminals, parking facilities, and transportation services.
The newly-repaired roadway supports passengers arriving to the main O’Hare terminals as they transfer to taxis, commercial vehicles, and privately owned vehicles, with dedicated lanes for each mode of transport.
O’Hare Main Parking Garage
Construction was also completed this week on O’Hare’s Main Parking Garage.
This 25.5 million USD project included pavement repairs and structural support work that will prolong the life of the garage by another 10 to 15 years.
Additional construction updates at Chicago O’Hare International Airport include:
- The passenger tunnels between the CTA Blue Line and Terminals 1, 2 and 3 have been fully replaced
- The 1 billion USD investment in Terminal 5 is due to officially open this autumn
- New security checkpoints and gate space have opened to handle increased passenger traffic
- In June, the CDA broke ground on a six-story parking garage for Terminal 5 that will double its parking capacity
Compared to the Labor Day travel period last year, O’Hare is expected to see a passenger increase of 7.3%. Meanwhile, airlines project that Midway will experience an increase in passengers of approximately 49.9%.
