Narrative:

Earlier this yr; facility management decided to permanently close the pnt lo sector and combine the airspace with brl lo. (This was done with no input from controllers or supervisors in the affected area.) today; ZAU had continuous moderate to severe turbulence at FL230 through FL360. This caused all aircraft that were incapable of FL370 or higher to stay at FL220 or lower. Since the brl lo sector underlies the wbound departure rtes from ord and 2 arrival rtes to ord/mdw; the addition of the aircraft that would normally have been at or above FL240 caused sector saturation. This resulted in severely denigrated service to all aircraft; and we (ATC) were fortunate that there were no incidents. This service denigration and a 'normal' safety margin could have been avoided/maintained if we had been able to open the (now non-existent) pnt lo sector. It is my opinion (based on 26+ yrs of experience) that the FAA is; in this situation; not seeing the forest for the trees. This is not the first time that brl lo has been 'up for grabs' since pnt lo was closed; but it is the first time that I have been at that sector (brl lo) when it was out of control like this. I do know that there have been 2 operrors at the sector since pnt lo was closed. Again; we were lucky that the number is not 3 or more today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW AIRSPACE ALIGNMENT WHICH ELIMINATED ONE SECTOR; ALLEGING INCREASED WORKLOAD/COMPLEXITY.

Narrative: EARLIER THIS YR; FACILITY MGMNT DECIDED TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE PNT LO SECTOR AND COMBINE THE AIRSPACE WITH BRL LO. (THIS WAS DONE WITH NO INPUT FROM CTLRS OR SUPVRS IN THE AFFECTED AREA.) TODAY; ZAU HAD CONTINUOUS MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AT FL230 THROUGH FL360. THIS CAUSED ALL ACFT THAT WERE INCAPABLE OF FL370 OR HIGHER TO STAY AT FL220 OR LOWER. SINCE THE BRL LO SECTOR UNDERLIES THE WBOUND DEP RTES FROM ORD AND 2 ARR RTES TO ORD/MDW; THE ADDITION OF THE ACFT THAT WOULD NORMALLY HAVE BEEN AT OR ABOVE FL240 CAUSED SECTOR SATURATION. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERELY DENIGRATED SVC TO ALL ACFT; AND WE (ATC) WERE FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS. THIS SVC DENIGRATION AND A 'NORMAL' SAFETY MARGIN COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED/MAINTAINED IF WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE (NOW NON-EXISTENT) PNT LO SECTOR. IT IS MY OPINION (BASED ON 26+ YRS OF EXPERIENCE) THAT THE FAA IS; IN THIS SITUATION; NOT SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT BRL LO HAS BEEN 'UP FOR GRABS' SINCE PNT LO WAS CLOSED; BUT IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN AT THAT SECTOR (BRL LO) WHEN IT WAS OUT OF CTL LIKE THIS. I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 2 OPERRORS AT THE SECTOR SINCE PNT LO WAS CLOSED. AGAIN; WE WERE LUCKY THAT THE NUMBER IS NOT 3 OR MORE TODAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.