By Brian Costin, Illinois Policy Institute -
If taxpayers thought high-speed rail was a boondoggle, recently announced upgrades to O’Hare International Airport’s people-mover system might raise a few eyebrows, too.
Last week, a mayoral aide announced upgrades and expansions to O’Hare’s 2.7-mile people-mover system that will add 2,000 feet of track. The project will cost $340 million.
With a track length of nearly 3.1 miles, taxpayers are looking at footing a cost of almost $110 million per mile.
There are also plans for a $360 million improvement to O’Hare’s rental car campus, putting the overall cost of the upgrades at $700 million.
For comparison’s sake, the 2009 estimated cost of the 360-mile Illinois high-speed rail corridor is $1.26 billion, an average cost of $3.5 million per mile. ...More HERE
