Narrative:

I was taxiing medium large transport X to the takeoff runway (31L) at mdw under the standard taxi clearance: 'taxi to runway 31L. Hold short of 31R.' we complied with the instructions, and while holding short of runway 31R, we were cleared to cross runway 31R and to contact tower on the other side. As I proceeded to taxi the aircraft, I noticed a company small transport high on final approach. I stopped my aircraft short of the runway, but inside of the hold short line, the small transport then proceeded to land on runway 31R. It appeared to me that the small transport was preparing to go around because he surely wondered what I was up to. Since I stopped, he went ahead and landed his aircraft. When we asked ground control about the event, the response was, 'we thought you'd be across before he landed.' well, it was a lot closer than that (in my opinion). The ground and tower controllers at this particular airport are (I think) overworked and less experienced relative to most airports in the country. Their can do attitude seems to cause problems such as this too frequently. Why cross my aircraft in a close situation just to have me hold behind another aircraft on the other side? Perhaps that runway crossing should be handled by tower, not ground control. Another area of concern--stacking 3 aircraft between runways 31R and 31L with both runways in use and actually room for only 2 aircraft between the hold lines. This is a standard practice. Perhaps a new taxi plan could help prevent the occasional gridlock on the ground at this airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLEARED TO CROSS A RWY WITH ACFT ON SHORT FINAL, TOO CLSOE FOR COMFORTABLE CROSSING.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING MLG X TO THE TKOF RWY (31L) AT MDW UNDER THE STANDARD TAXI CLRNC: 'TAXI TO RWY 31L. HOLD SHORT OF 31R.' WE COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, AND WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 31R, WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 31R AND TO CONTACT TWR ON THE OTHER SIDE. AS I PROCEEDED TO TAXI THE ACFT, I NOTICED A COMPANY SMT HIGH ON FINAL APCH. I STOPPED MY ACFT SHORT OF THE RWY, BUT INSIDE OF THE HOLD SHORT LINE, THE SMT THEN PROCEEDED TO LAND ON RWY 31R. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE SMT WAS PREPARING TO GO AROUND BECAUSE HE SURELY WONDERED WHAT I WAS UP TO. SINCE I STOPPED, HE WENT AHEAD AND LANDED HIS ACFT. WHEN WE ASKED GND CTL ABOUT THE EVENT, THE RESPONSE WAS, 'WE THOUGHT YOU'D BE ACROSS BEFORE HE LANDED.' WELL, IT WAS A LOT CLOSER THAN THAT (IN MY OPINION). THE GND AND TWR CTLRS AT THIS PARTICULAR ARPT ARE (I THINK) OVERWORKED AND LESS EXPERIENCED RELATIVE TO MOST ARPTS IN THE COUNTRY. THEIR CAN DO ATTITUDE SEEMS TO CAUSE PROBS SUCH AS THIS TOO FREQUENTLY. WHY CROSS MY ACFT IN A CLOSE SITUATION JUST TO HAVE ME HOLD BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT ON THE OTHER SIDE? PERHAPS THAT RWY XING SHOULD BE HANDLED BY TWR, NOT GND CTL. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN--STACKING 3 ACFT BTWN RWYS 31R AND 31L WITH BOTH RWYS IN USE AND ACTUALLY ROOM FOR ONLY 2 ACFT BTWN THE HOLD LINES. THIS IS A STANDARD PRACTICE. PERHAPS A NEW TAXI PLAN COULD HELP PREVENT THE OCCASIONAL GRIDLOCK ON THE GND AT THIS ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.