Construction continues to surge in and around O’Hare International Airport, as major infrastructure projects reshape one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world. From critical roadway improvements outside the airport to the massive O’Hare 21 terminal modernization program, these investments are designed to improve mobility, strengthen regional infrastructure, and create thousands of good-paying construction jobs for years to come.
One of the major projects currently underway is a $99.1 million reconstruction of Touhy Avenue and Mount Prospect Road, a key corridor that carries more than 32,000 vehicles daily through Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Township, and Chicago. Work on the project began this year and will take place in three major stages through 2027.
The improvements are designed to ease congestion and improve safety along a heavily traveled route that currently lacks turn lanes west of the Union Pacific tracks and must also accommodate heavy traffic from vehicles entering and exiting O’Hare Airport. As part of the project, new bridges will carry Touhy Avenue over the busy freight tracks as well as the future I-490 corridor, which will connect I-90 to I-294 on the west side of O’Hare.
At the airport itself, the O’Hare 21 modernization program continues to move forward. This historic $8.5 billion initiative – estimated to be $12.1 billion in today’s dollars – is transforming Chicago’s airport into a modern, world-class transportation hub while driving economic growth across the region. The program includes major upgrades such as a new Global Terminal and expanded concourses that will increase capacity, improve efficiency, and enhance the passenger experience.
O’Hare 21 is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and generate approximately $18 billion in economic activity by 2033. The program represents one of the largest infrastructure investments in Chicago’s history and plays a critical role in maintaining the region’s status as a global transportation and economic center.
A key component of the modernization effort is the construction of the new Concourse D, rising just south of Concourse C. The concourse is part of ORDNext, the next phase of O’Hare 21 and the largest terminal expansion in the airport’s history. ORDNext aims to better connect travelers, accommodate future passenger growth, and modernize the airport’s core terminal complex. Concourse D is the first of two planned satellite concourses and is scheduled for completion in late 2028.
Progress on the modernization program was further solidified in 2024 when Chicago’s two primary airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines, reached an agreement with the City of Chicago to rephase the construction schedule. Under the updated plan, the new Global Terminal will take precedence, ensuring that funding is first directed toward the most critical elements of the project, including the Global Terminal and Satellite Concourse 1. United said in a statement that the agreement will “deliver the most impactful elements of the modernization project the quickest,” helping move the long-term vision for O’Hare forward.
Beyond improving air travel, the impact of these projects extends throughout the regional economy. According to a study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, completing the O’Hare 21 program as originally planned would generate nearly $18 billion in economic activity and support approximately 95,000 jobs by 2033. Of those, more than 53,000 would be good-paying local construction jobs, or about 5,300 construction jobs per year.
Taken together, these projects represent far more than infrastructure improvements. They are long-term investments in the region’s workforce, economy, and future growth. For skilled tradespeople across the construction industry, the continued progress of the O’Hare 21 program means sustained opportunities to build critical infrastructure that supports millions of travelers each year. As construction continues in the years ahead, these projects will not only modernize O’Hare but also strengthen the economic foundation of the entire region while supporting a strong, highly skilled construction workforce.