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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Source: City Hall close on $8.5 billion O'Hare expansion deal [suntimes.com]

Chicago is on the verge of striking a historic $8.5 billion deal with airline carriers at O'Hare to give the airport its largest-ever terminal expansion, adding dozens of gates and 3 million square feet to its footprint. Central to the plan to modernize and grow the airport is the construction of a new Global Terminal, which would replace Terminal 2 and serve larger aircraft for international flights, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

[...] The expansion would be complete by 2026, and the work could potentially create tens of thousands of jobs over the next eight years, the source said. It could also give O'Hare a chance to rise above its routinely dismal ranking for on-time flights.

[...] [The] mayor has said he could deliver on the long-elusive dream of a high-speed rail line between downtown and O'Hare. Four powerhouse firms, including Elon Musk's The Boring Company, have shown interest in designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining an express train.The city is hoping for a travel time of 20 minutes or less, with express trains running every 15 minutes for most of the day at fares cheaper than a taxi or Uber ride.

Also at the Chicago Tribune [chicagotribune.com].

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