And I can tell you Ford, GM and others don't commit a DIME to highway development...but United and AA are going to foot BILLIONS in the airport project in ORD.

Plus, the government has been collecting $3 per passenger for YEARS that is supposed to be earmarked for airport development. For ORD that is somewhere in the neighborhood of 100M/yr...and since the improvement is slated to double passenger throughput...they'll be raking in 200M/yr once the runways open.

Also, the Fed has facilities in those airports, shouldn't they be required to pay for the updates to their areas? Is that a subsidy, or just their share?

In Philly, the government politiced and gave airport space to southwest after US Airways spend 500million in renovations...the city gave little, and then stabbed the main carrier in the back.

And..in a project that is going to employ thousands for many years...and permanenty increase employment in the area...I would say the government is make a small investment that is going to pay long dividends. And THAT is something that government does for all business..investments and/or tax breaks in exchange for employment guarantees.