West Chicago —As area residents brace themselves for the arrival of what meteorologists are calling the worst winter weather in the nation this season, DuPage Airport looks forward to business as usual.
Heavy snow and extreme cold is expected in the Chicago area this coming winter, said national forecasting service Accuweather.com last month. Meteorologists predict the region will be pummeled with as many as 58 inches of snow, almost twice the snowfall of an average winter.
But DuPage’s award-winning snow removal team and state-of-the-art equipment, including a recently purchased high-speed plow/sweeper truck, make airport officials confident in their ability to combat winter weather.
“We’re ready for the coming winter, thanks to efficient snow-removal operations, additional vehicles and the most effective de-icing materials on the market,” said Executive Director David Bird.
Bird added that the airport’s primary runway – the longest in Illinois outside of O’Hare – can be cleared of snow in as little as 30-45 minutes.
A 15 person winter crew makes up DuPage’s snow team, and together they provide 24-hour snow removal services. The airport has won multiple awards for snow removal, including the Bernt Balchen award for exemplary work in airport maintenance during the winter season.
"The team itself is really dedicated to keeping the airport open," said DuPage Airport equipment maintenance manager Jeff Berls. "That's one of the things to which we've always had a claim to fame."
Bird noted that during last February’s record-breaking snow storm, DuPage Airport remained fully operational while both Midway and O’Hare airports were forced to suspend operations.
“Frankly, a few extra inches of snow isn’t cause for concern for DuPage,” said Bird. “We’ve received awards for our snow removal for good reason, and we continuously invest in upgrades to our equipment and training for our personnel.”
DuPage Airport is one of America’s premier general aviation airports and was recently celebrated as “a model for the nation” by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during his June 9 visit. After losing $2 million a year less than a decade ago, the airport now produces a $2 million profit and is debt free.
