State stalls on final inspection at Bult Field
State stalls on final inspection at Bult Field
The clock keeps ticking on the state’s obligation to provide a final inspection for the runway at Bult Field.
It has now been more than two months since airport owner Jim Bult has been waiting for the state’s obligatory inspection of his new runway.
“I sent the first letter requesting a final inspection in mid-December,” Bult said, adding that he has also written additional letters.
“The state is stalling,” Bult said. “When I bought the airport, the state required quite a few things,” he explained.
He applied and received the permits to make all the needed repairs.
Bult bought the former Sanger Field in 2004. It was a small, general aviation airstrip that was in some disrepair.
He made a huge investment into the project. He took out one runway and built another.
He had little problem with the approval process until last August, when former Illinois Transportation Secretary Tim Martin filed an objection to the project.
Bult Field is located in the corner of what had been the proposed Peotone Airport.
Will County officials did not act on Martin’s objection and unanimously gave Bult the go-ahead.
Bult has received letters from the state threatening condemnation, but no legal action has been initiated.
In both the IDOT and ALNAC (Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission) plans, which the state recently submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration, Bult Field was incorporated into its inaugural airport proposal.
Because the FAA told the state to offer only one preferred plan for study, the project is at a standstill.
But that doesn’t answer why the state is holding up Bult’s runway inspection.
Calls to IDOT have not been returned.
The State is stalling, and has no right to do this to Mr. Bult. He conformed to everything they told him to do during the permit process, now they refuse to give him final inspection! Well I and my neighbors had the priviledge to personally inspect the work done there this past January, and can tell you he did a marvelous job. This will be a first class general aviation field and an asset to our community. I suggest the State swallow their pride, and just get out there and give him his green pass card. His future construction plans for this spring will continue whether IDOT likes it or not. After all, it's his property and he can do with it as he pleases.Jim Bult has shown more class and common sense through this whole thing than all of IDOT's people put together!
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footprint hostage is correct and this behavior by Illinois "public servants" is disgraceful and unacceptable.
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Looking great, i don't suppose that lake is off your patio, eh?
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Nope, but that is the river. The lake is behind the dam. I wish that was the view out our back door.
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