Will skies be friendlier over Bensenville with giant-killer Soto?

I still can't believe John Geils is on his way out. My ears are still ringing from the last time he yelled at me about an article he didn't like.

The iconic Bensenville village president was the face of opposition to O'Hare International Airport expansion for decades. Geils' take-no-prisoners attitude created sworn enemies and loyal followers - at least until Tuesday when he lost his iron grip on Bensenville to incoming Village President Frank Soto, an attorney.

Once upon a time, practically every leader in DuPage County was behind Geils in fighting plans to create six parallel runways at O'Hare, which would reduce delays but raze about 600 Bensenville homes and businesses. The village also had the backing of powerful Republicans like U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, who died in 2007, former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, former state Senate President James "Pate" Philip and former state House Minority Leader Lee Daniels.

But as all the "formers" indicate, support gradually fell off until Bensenville stood alone with its ally Elk Grove Village. Now the question is - what's next?

Soto also opposes the expansion but criticized Geils for wasting money on quixotic legal battles instead of negotiating with Chicago to obtain economic benefits and jobs.

O'Hare Modernization Program Executive Director Rosie Andolino has been Geils' nemesis since she took office six years ago.

A new village president "gives us the opportunity to have a conversation - that's something that hasn't happened for years," she said. "People don't always have to agree, but we can have a dialogue."

Bensenville spent millions on litigation fighting the project, including lawsuits over environmental impact and freedom of religion.

Chicago continued with its building program and has completed a new runway at the north end of the airfield, extended an existing one and this year will pave both ends of a runway bisected by the St. Johannes Cemetery. Engineers are drawing up plans for the three other runways, and a study of a western terminal is under way.

But there's no denying Bensenville's opposition cost Chicago time and money. Lawsuits forced Andolino to improvise solutions, such as temporarily relocating a railway track, but she admitted several months ago that there was a limit to what could be built on existing land while property the city needs in Bensenville was still embroiled in court battles.

"We've spent millions of dollars in workarounds," Andolino said.

Given the fact the city wants to complete the airport modernization in time for the 2016 Olympics (which Chicago is competing for), the fact Bensenville is standing in the way and the fact Soto wants to deal - I expect some interesting developments in the next few months.

Andolino wouldn't say what Chicago might offer in concessions, but she noted there's a big opportunity for economic development on the west side of the airport with plans for a new terminal.

Asked if she'd spoken with Soto, Andolino said she'd congratulated him right after the election.

"I'm delighted it's a fresh start," she said.

Construction on Milwaukee North

Commuters traveling north of Lake Forest on the Metra Milwaukee North Line to Fox Lake will be affected by track work starting Monday, April 20. The service disruptions will occur roughly between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday for five weeks. Metra is resurfacing the Milwaukee North tracks between Rondout and Fox Lake.

Metra is advising passengers who would board between Fox Lake and Libertyville to consider driving to the Lake Forest station or taking the North Central line from Antioch.

Otherwise, for people traveling into Chicago between approximately 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., trains that start at Fox Lake will stop at Grayslake. Buses will travel from Grayslake, Prairie Crossing and Libertyville to the Lake Forest station at the same time as scheduled train departures.

For commuters traveling back to Fox Lake between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., trains will stop at the Lake Forest station. Buses will take passengers to the Libertyville, Prairie Crossing and Grayslake stations. Trains will resume going north at Grayslake. For exact schedules, check out Metrarail.com

Incoming

• National Work Zone Safety Week wrapped up on Friday but the message is still relevant. Because of an influx of economic stimulus funds, this is one of the busier construction seasons in years and state transportation leaders are reminding drivers to follow posted speed limits in work zones. Tragically, about 1,000 people die a year in construction zone accidents.

• If you're burning off all the Easter chocolate by walking along the Illinois Prairie Path today, watch out for a bridge closure over the East Branch of the DuPage River between Lombard and Glen Ellyn. The bridge is being replaced by a larger structure that should be completed by early June. Detours are posted.