Thursday, December 08, 2011

Residents discuss airport runway plan. Event aims to involve public as airport plan takes shape

The public was invited to look at several plans Wednesday to extend the runway at Salem Municipal Airport.

The city hoped the open house would encourage residents to join in its plan to boost business at McNary Field.

The city, with the help of consultants from Mead & Hunt, is updating an airport master plan and performing environmental tests that could determine the fate of a runway extension project.

John and Sandi Trelstad own property to the south of the airport and were concerned about noise from increased usage.

"We had some questions, and we were happy to have this opportunity to get answers," John Trelstad said.

The open house was the first of several the city will host to foster public involvement. There will be two more next spring and summer.

As part of the process of lengthening the runway, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is providing some funding, requires all alternatives to be weighed before the city council approves the best strategy, one of which could be to do nothing.

The FAA master planning process assists airports with expansion and improvement plans that meet aviation demand and safety requirements.

"We are in the middle of the process. At this point, we don't know which is the best option, and we won't know that for some time," said Kevin Mulcaster, a consultant from Mead & Hunt.

Mulcaster said the completion of an environmental assessment will help the city decide on an ultimate plan and its method of funding.

The assessment, which will continue through next fall, will examine factors such as the presence of wetlands, hazardous-material use, impact to residents and the effect on plants and wildlife.

One concern mentioned Wednesday night was the presence of Nelson's checkermallow, a flower federally listed as threatened in 1993.

Airport Operations Manager Tom Franklin said his staffers have been aware of the plant, and that precautions are taken to ensure its safety.

"We don't even mow that area during certain parts of the year," he said. "The flowers we are aware of are located in a secure area, so they are actually very safe inside the airport fence."

The city's preferred alternative would add about 1,400 feet to the south end of the runway and updates taxiways and lighting systems.

The extension would allow larger planes to take off and land when loaded with fuel and cargo.

Mulcaster reiterated that there is an immediate need for safety and taxiway upgrades with or without the runway extension.

"The data collected shows more than 1,700 operations per year that need a 7,000-foot runway," he said.

The numbers were based on data collected from 2008, the most recent year available.

John Wales, urban development director for the city of Salem, said the city council has made investing in the airport a top priority.

"There are many existing shovel-ready acres available for development," Wales said. "The hope is that a longer runway would make locating a business here even more attractive."

Salem city planners are trying to complete the project without using city funds.

Instead, the funding strategy relies on about $550,000 in state grant money to complete a master plan and environmental assessment.

After the process is completed, the city is hopeful the FAA will commit $9 million for the design and construction of the runway.

The city was awarded a $2.6 million grant in 2008 to extend McNary Field's 5,800-foot runway an additional 700 to 800 feet.

The grant was part of the Connect Oregon II Transportation Program, a $100 million statewide project to improve the flow of commerce, eliminate delays and improve safety.

Thirty projects were funded through Connect Oregon II, and 18 are complete.

Since that time, the FAA has approved a larger expansion and the project would extend the runway to 7,000 feet for $11 million.

Testing for the environmental is expected to continue through fall 2012. The FAA is expected review the assessment in early 2013.


No comments:

Post a Comment