Presumed Best Choice May Not Be Best For Environment -- FAA

A long evaluation process has resulted in three proposals for dealing with rapidly growing traffic at Palm beach International Airport.

One of those plans is to do nothing, which has its appeal to NIMBYs. Of the other two plans, one is favored by airport management.

As ANN has reported, that plan would leave the northern parallel runway, 9-Left/27-Right, in its current form at 10,000 feet long; move the south parallel runway -- now only 3,000 feet long -- another 100 feet south, and extend it to 8,000 feet; and shorten intersecting runway 13/31 from 6,900 feet to about 4,000.

The FAA's favored plan would eliminate 13/31 completely, and build a new, 10,000 foot parallel runway north of the current north runway.

The FAA's plan would require tearing down terminals, pouring much more concrete, and cost in the neighborhood of $629 million, or about $260 million more that the airport's plan.

What's more, given growth projections, by 2018 the FAA's design would be at 92 per cent capacity, while the airport's own plan would be at 62 per cent, with lots of room for growth remaining.

So, if one plan appears both cheaper and better, why is there even a discussion?

Jackie Sweatt-Essick, FAA regional environmental program manager, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper, "One may have less capacity, but the environmental costs may be less."

At the top of the list of concerns is the noise impact from a second runway, capable of accommodating even more large jets.

The paper reports the FAA will study the options, then present a choice to the Palm Beach County Commission for a yea-or-nay vote.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.pbia.org