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Chicago鈥檚 O鈥橦are Airport will get a sixth runway, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Sunday.听

The $1.3 billion project will include a sixth east-west runway, more de-icing pads to get planes in the air faster and new taxiways so planes can commute to and from gates more easily. And Mayor Emanuel says the city plans to build two new airport hotels and upgrade the airport鈥檚 present Hilton hotel.听

The mayor hopes the project will reduce O鈥橦are鈥檚 record flight delays. RealClearWorld ranks Chicago O鈥橦are as the sixth most-delayed airport in the world with an . 聽聽

鈥淭he new runway will that began more than a decade ago, changing O鈥橦are鈥檚 configuration form several intersecting runways to a configuration of six parallel, east-to-west runways and two diagonal runways,鈥� NPR explains.听

Despite the decade-long modernization project, travel industry experts say O鈥橦are鈥檚 chronic delays continue because the project hasn鈥檛 increased terminal space or added new gates.听

鈥淭he shortage of gates is a ,鈥� travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research Group told the Chicago Tribune. Not only does the shortage of gates and terminals cause delays, but it also limits lower-cost airlines like Spirit or Virgin America from adding flights and bringing more passengers through Chicago. 聽

And outside of efficiency goals, Emanuel also hopes O鈥橦are鈥檚 future economic growth can be a positive beacon in his otherwise tumultuous mayorship.听

To further alleviate Chicago鈥檚 current racial grievances, Emanuel announced plans to spread the wealth from the $1.3 billion project among the city鈥檚 minorities and underserved communities.听

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do something different with this investment,鈥� the mayor said in a statement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do it in a way where O鈥橦are is not longer an island鈥� but make sure that everybody from every part of the city of Chicago participates in the growth of O鈥橦are and the opportunity to get a job and a career in that effort.鈥澛�

In order assist Chicago residents, Emanuel announced contracting rules that will favor the city鈥檚 minorities when doling out the project鈥檚 estimated 5,000 jobs 鈥� an announcement that鈥檚 carried weight among community leaders.听聽

鈥淲e are thrilled about this important opportunity to bring additional economic development to Chicago鈥檚 neighborhoods,鈥� Shari Runner, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, . 鈥淚t is more important than ever before to ensure that the jobs created from modernizing O鈥橦are Airport lift up our underserved communities.鈥�

Ms. Runner tells NPR that it鈥檚 important to make sure it will not only be a diverse workforce, but that it will also be . But she says she is not aware of specific diversity goals for the O鈥橦are runway project.听

鈥淲e have a long way to go,鈥� Runner added. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want this to be the exception. We want this to become the rule.鈥澛�

Of course, the O鈥橦are expansion isn鈥檛 all smooth sailing and good press for the mayor.听

Homeowners neighboring O鈥橦are have long criticized the increased jet noise that鈥檚 coincided with more east-west takeoffs and landings.听

鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement by CDA and Mayor Emanuel includes some much needed improvements to O鈥橦are airport, but ignores the noise challenges our constituents in the neighborhoods adjacent to O鈥橦are have been experiencing,鈥� US Representatives Mike Quigley (D), Tammy Duckworth (D) and Jan Schakowsky (D) said . 鈥淲e believe that prioritizing the construction of yet another east-west runway without first addressing the significant increases in noise that our constituents have endured 鈥� comes at the expense of our constituents鈥� health and property values.鈥�

Not only does the new runway run east-west itself, but the plan also includes that anti-noise advocates wanted O鈥橦are to utilize to minimize noise disruption.听聽

O鈥橦are and Atlanta鈥檚 Hartsfield-Jackson airport have been longtime rivals for the title of busiest US airport.听

But 鈥渢he measure going forward from now on, is not whether we are the busiest but whether we are the best,鈥� Emanuel said Sunday. Instead of explicitly announcing the project as a means to greater-traffic-ends, Emanuel named the project "O鈥橦are 21鈥�" to signal the airport鈥檚 status as an 鈥渆conomic engine, .鈥澛�

Once the sixth runway is complete, the annual capacity for O鈥橦are takeoffs and landings will increase 25 percent: from 214 per hour to 267 per hour. Construction is set to begin and May and the project is expected to be complete in 2020.听

The $1.3 billion project is s, including the US Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, passenger fees, American and United Airlines.听