GO TO 2040: the official comprehensive planning campaign for metropolitan Chicago

FLIP and the O'Hare Modernization Project

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FLIP and the O'Hare Modernization Project

by Diana Torres
2/18/09

TheFuture Leaders in Planning (FLIP) youth leadership development program recently visited the   O'Hare Modernization Project (OMP). FLIP participants have been exposed to issues of transportation, land use, environment and natural resources, housing, economic development and human services. During our time at OMP, we were able to learn about the history of the project and intended future of the initiative. In addition, we were granted access to a bus tour of the neighboring community as well as within the modernization project limits—a special treat for the FLIP students. For this opportunity, CMAP would like to thank the OMP staff.

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All of the students who attended the visit to the airport concluded that the O'Hare Modernization Project was an asset to the region. When asked to reflect on their experiences, students shared their thoughts and questions. Below are a few of the participants' responses in their own words. 

 

 

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  • The pros outweigh the cons. That is, the reduction of delays and the increase of revenue and jobs are more profitable to the region. (Ben P.)
  • OMP will help the region expand. (Lois K.)
  • The expansion will bring in more commerce, tourism and business to Chicago and will allow O'Hare to better handle the massive amount of air traffic through the city. (Ryan A.)
  • OMP will bring in new jobs and help the city gain standing on the world stage. (Lynda L.)
  • The project will benefit the public because it will generate a substantial amount of money for government use, create jobs and ensure that Chicago remains competitive and even “gets ahead of the game” internationally. (Elizabeth L.)
  • Even though OMP is displacing some people, the overall increase of revenue and productivity overwhelms the losses in the community. (Rachel G.)
  • OMP is essential because due to continuous population growth, the airport will not only benefit the region but also the people who use the airport for business. (Matt Z.)
  • OMP creates a huge boost economically and it brings people into the economy. (Johni C.)
  • It will help our region out financially and it may also help us out with the recession. (Paula Y.)
  • The project will benefit our communities economically in a variety of great ways: drawing workforce, businesses, tourism and generating growth of jobs. (Laura B.)
 

About FLIP: The Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) program is designed to introduce high school participants from the region to a wide range of urban planning issues and engender a sense of citizenship and investment in the metropolitan area. Participants will be exposed to current regional concerns through a variety of means—expert interviews with professionals, field visits, multimedia tools and classroom instruction—and will ultimately present their findings and recommendations to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Board at the completion of the program in the Spring of 2009. For more information, please contact Diana Torres at  dtorres(at)cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8774.

Update!

In order to ensure a ballanced perspective on this issue, we have added a series of links to information on the OMP.  We encourage youth and adults to read through these and form your own opinion.

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Posted by CMAP Web Communications at 02/18/2009 11:47:30 AM | 


O'Hare expansion is not sustainable; a world-class high speed rail system could reduce flights by about 50%.

Thus, there is no reason to spend about $70 BILLION of costly taxpayer money.

It will also reduce the significant public health problems that O'Hare causes (e.g., 400 cancer deaths a year).

High-speed rail can be built for 1/3 the costs of airport expansions, providing millions of new jobs.
Posted by: Advisor ( Email: ) at 2/20/2009 5:37 PM


Though exposure of students (FLIP) to major issues is laudible, it is critically important that their exposure is as complete and balanced as possible.

It seems clear that this did not happen here and that, instead, the students were brainwashed with selective information, images and perspectives by OMP representatives and CMAP. For example, did their tour and information include exposure to the horrendous noise (such as in Park Ridge and other long-suffering communities)? Did the tour include the destruction in the once vibrant neighborhood of Bensenville? Were the health and climate change issues of huge amounts of airport air pollution debated? Was the fact that total passenger delays with OMP would actually go up properly portrayed? Were the total eventual OMP costs, probably greater than $60B, presented?

When CMAP participates in fooling of adults, it's unacceptable. When CMAP sponsors student brainwashing, it's shameful.
Posted by: R. E. Ruthenberg ( Email: ) at 2/22/2009 11:20 AM


Thank you for sharing your views. The purpose of FLIP is to show young residents how effective planning is all about trade-offs, and how those choices can profoundly shape individual residents' lives. As part of our tour, we made a point of driving through parts of Bensenville that have been seriously affected by the O'Hare expansion. We also had the students read an article from the Associated Press (“Tiny Suburb Fights Chicago over O’Hare Airport Project,” August 15, 2008).



After the trip, each of our students identified additional concerns and questions, many of them similar to the comments you already provided. The students were able to build on their prior FLIP experiences from five specific issues (transportation, housing, environment and natural resources, economic development and human services), connecting those broad and sometimes abstract issues to the real-world implications of projects like O'Hare.



These exceptional young people are fully capable of weighing complex issues like this one, and they're far too savvy to accept any adult's views without thinking for themselves. Again, that type of critical thinking is what FLIP is all about.
Posted by: Diana Torres ( Email: ) at 2/24/2009 9:18 AM


I would like to second Advisors comments about high speed trains. Well thought out trains would provide a fabulous jump to our infrastructure and would provide more jobs than either the Ohare Expansion or a third airport.
Posted by: High Speed Rail Fan ( Email: ) at 3/2/2009 8:59 PM


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