Runway Rotation Plan Will Impact Elmhurst Residents

ELMHURST, IL — The O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission has voted on a 2.5 year Interim Fly Quiet Plan that will impact Elmhurst residents. According to the city, the ONCC Ad Hoc Committee chose Runway Rotation Plan A as their recommendation to ONCC after reviewing several options. The recommended option is essentially the same runway rotation plan that was followed by the Fly Quiet Test #3.

The city said Elmhurst officials strongly opposed this recommended plan, due to the fact that it will have a negative impact on areas of Elmhurst. Elmhurst submitted an alternative proposal, which was discarded by the ONNC Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee.

“We feel that our alternative proposal for the Interim Runway Rotation Plan demonstrated a fair balance of nighttime flights for all communities surrounding the airport, with 37 percent use of [runway] 4R/22L," City Manager Jim Grabowski said in a release. "The 'Option A' plan does not represent a fair balance of nighttime flights. Runway 4R/22L is proposed to be used 50 percent of the time, which directly impacts the residents of Elmhurst. There are three other parallel runways that can be better utilized to balance runway rotation.”

“Runway Rotation Option A impacts more people than the alternate options," Grabowski added. "If the purpose of the Fly Quiet Plan is to study possibilities that limit the number of individuals affected by airplane noise, Option A is simply not the right choice.”

The ONCC ultimately chose Option A as the 2 and a half year Interim Runway Rotation Plan which will be sent to the FAA for their review process.

“We are extremely disappointed with the ONCC’s decision and the process that got them to this vote," Mayor Steve Morley said in a release. "Our hope is that the FAA understands that Option A will impact more individuals than any other flight pattern and refuses this plan.”

Image via City of Elmhurst.