Gary Chicago International Airport breaks ground on new air traffic control tower

Construction is set to begin on a new air traffic control tower at Gary Chicago International Airport in northwest Indiana.

Gary city leaders broke ground on the project on Friday.

Airport executive director Dan Vicari said the project has received more than $20 million in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The new tower will stand twice as tall as the current one.

"For over five decades, it has supported the safe movement of aircraft and helped guide the growth and evolution of our airport, but aviation continues to evolve, and our infrastructure must evolve with it," Vicari said.

The new tower will provide air traffic controllers better visibility of the airfield, along with modern communications systems and updated technology.