Homeowners And Airport Plans Put In Holding Pattern
Plans to extend the runway at Madison County Executive Airport
(MDQ) near Huntsville, AL, have once again been stalled after the
FAA received a single, detailed complaint letter from a local
resident. Years of work and several million dollars have
already gone into the stalled expansion plan, including
environmental assessments and relocation agreements with nearby
residents that will be affected.
MDQ currently has a 5,000 by 100 ft runway that supports nearly
100 operations per day. Airport chairman Tom Sharp, Jr. said
the growing airport needs to extend its runway to 6,500 feet so it
can host larger corporate and private planes.
"We think this is going to bring several more jobs and obviously
increase the safety of this airport quite a bit," Sharp said.
Since taking control of the airport in 1993, the Madison County
Executive Airport Authority has been steadily improving the
airfield using grants and Congressional earmarks. $1.14
million for the airport runway project was included in the 2009
federal omnibus spending bill.
Charles Woods lives near the airport and has been an aggressive
opponent of the runway expansion. Woods lives on side street
that connects to a roadway that will be moved 250 ft during the
runway expansion, extending the road by 0.7 miles.
MDQ in June 2006. Credit: USDA Farm Services Agency
"I think it's wrong for our elected and appointed officials to
consider the convenience of a few aircraft owners and pilots more
important than the burdens of taxes, lost time and other expenses
for many citizens," Woods wrote in a letter to The Huntsville
Times. Woods did calculations showing that over 58,000
gallons of additional gasoline would be burned (based on traffic
estimates and estimated average fuel efficiency) in addition to
increased driving time for residents like him.
The FAA wrote back to Woods and assured him they would suspend
"any further funding" while an updated planning and environmental
review was completed to address "new public concerns."
However, homeowners of eight houses that will need to be moved
for the expansion had already given their blessing for the
expansion and are now facing an uncertain future as the project is
put on hold. The airport authority had agreements to purchase
the properties, but has held back on fears the FAA will cancel the
project.
"We met with all the affected residents a year and a half ago,
and they all agreed to relocate. This delay has had them in limbo
since then," Sharp commented. "Because of one resident's
concerns, we have double checked and triple checked," he said. "Now
we are waiting for final determination from the FAA."