It's Not Gonna Fly
The citizens of Warwick (RI) are on the verge of what appears to be a major victory in the city’s fight to rein-in the expansion of TF Green Airport. And for those of us who have steadfastly and vocally opposed this expansion, the vindication is sweet indeed.
For more years than I can remember, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) has maintained that a very intrusive runway expansion to nearly 10,000 feet was absolutely necessary to the health and future vitality of TF Green Airport. This full expansion was (according to the Airport Corporation officials) the one and only way to accommodate coast-to-coast flights from TF Green. And without these coast-to-coast flights, said the Airport Corporation, TF Green would steadily and rapidly lose business over the next few years, and this loss of business would greatly impact the overall economy of the entire state of Rhode Island. We’d be doomed!
Alternatives to the mega-expansion were proposed, but RIAC remained steadfast in its mantra: no less than a full expansion would be acceptable. Neighborhoods and people of Warwick be damned! Anything less than the full package, and coast-to-coast flights would be impossible… and without those coast-to-coast flights… well, you know how this broken record ends.
Fast forward to Wednesday, May 30: out of the blue, and quite miraculously, RIAC has announced that it is now more than willing to accept one of the shorter, less-obtrusive and destructive alternatives to the full 10,000-foot expansion. So what changed? Has aircraft engineering suddenly changed so drastically that shorter runways are now a viable option? Actually, no. The shameful little truth that RIAC didn’t want us to know is that 80-90% of today’s existing aircraft already CAN make coast-to-coast flights from shorter-that-10,000-feet runways. RIAC had simply been pushing for the most obtrusive, most disruptive, and most devastating-to-the-people-of-Warwick runway for its own selfish “we want it all” desires.
So what changed? Why, all of a sudden, would RIAC be owning up to the fact that a shorter runway would be feasible in Warwick? It’s simple, really: the answer is money. You see, for RIAC to go forward with its mega plan would add hundreds of millions of dollars to its expansion costs. The southern portion of the expansion alone would have meant constructing a tunnel so that Main Avenue, one of Warwick’s major east-west arteries, would be able to run under the newly-expanded property… and this tunnel wasn’t going to come cheap: $112 million dollars.
The new plan calls for an expansion of the runway from 7100 feet to 8700 feet. Yes, Airport Road would have to be relocated, but far fewer homes will be impacted, and a relocated Airport Road would allow for a direct connection with Route 37 (thus alleviating a major drive-time traffic nightmare). Along with the $112 million saved by not creating a tunnel for Main Avenue, this new plan would save $69 million on the expansion itself, and $68 million in costs related to relocating Airport Road. The number of affected homes would be cut by more than half.
So, when faced with real costs and hard dollar-figures, RIAC “suddenly” discovered that shorter runway options ARE feasible. What a coincidence, eh? Thanks, RIAC. Thanks for the years of lies and and the years of grief. Thanks for helping to further erode the public's trust in its local officials. In other words... thanks for nothing.
As for my fellow citizens of Warwick… while it might be too early for us to call this a victory and start opening those bottles of celebratory champagne, this is nonetheless a MAJOR step in the right direction. Be proud of your determination and your diligence. It looks as if it may be paying off quite handsomely.
Oh, what the hell - let's have some champagne anyway - we deserve it!
For more years than I can remember, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) has maintained that a very intrusive runway expansion to nearly 10,000 feet was absolutely necessary to the health and future vitality of TF Green Airport. This full expansion was (according to the Airport Corporation officials) the one and only way to accommodate coast-to-coast flights from TF Green. And without these coast-to-coast flights, said the Airport Corporation, TF Green would steadily and rapidly lose business over the next few years, and this loss of business would greatly impact the overall economy of the entire state of Rhode Island. We’d be doomed!
Alternatives to the mega-expansion were proposed, but RIAC remained steadfast in its mantra: no less than a full expansion would be acceptable. Neighborhoods and people of Warwick be damned! Anything less than the full package, and coast-to-coast flights would be impossible… and without those coast-to-coast flights… well, you know how this broken record ends.
Fast forward to Wednesday, May 30: out of the blue, and quite miraculously, RIAC has announced that it is now more than willing to accept one of the shorter, less-obtrusive and destructive alternatives to the full 10,000-foot expansion. So what changed? Has aircraft engineering suddenly changed so drastically that shorter runways are now a viable option? Actually, no. The shameful little truth that RIAC didn’t want us to know is that 80-90% of today’s existing aircraft already CAN make coast-to-coast flights from shorter-that-10,000-feet runways. RIAC had simply been pushing for the most obtrusive, most disruptive, and most devastating-to-the-people-of-Warwick runway for its own selfish “we want it all” desires.
So what changed? Why, all of a sudden, would RIAC be owning up to the fact that a shorter runway would be feasible in Warwick? It’s simple, really: the answer is money. You see, for RIAC to go forward with its mega plan would add hundreds of millions of dollars to its expansion costs. The southern portion of the expansion alone would have meant constructing a tunnel so that Main Avenue, one of Warwick’s major east-west arteries, would be able to run under the newly-expanded property… and this tunnel wasn’t going to come cheap: $112 million dollars.
The new plan calls for an expansion of the runway from 7100 feet to 8700 feet. Yes, Airport Road would have to be relocated, but far fewer homes will be impacted, and a relocated Airport Road would allow for a direct connection with Route 37 (thus alleviating a major drive-time traffic nightmare). Along with the $112 million saved by not creating a tunnel for Main Avenue, this new plan would save $69 million on the expansion itself, and $68 million in costs related to relocating Airport Road. The number of affected homes would be cut by more than half.
So, when faced with real costs and hard dollar-figures, RIAC “suddenly” discovered that shorter runway options ARE feasible. What a coincidence, eh? Thanks, RIAC. Thanks for the years of lies and and the years of grief. Thanks for helping to further erode the public's trust in its local officials. In other words... thanks for nothing.
As for my fellow citizens of Warwick… while it might be too early for us to call this a victory and start opening those bottles of celebratory champagne, this is nonetheless a MAJOR step in the right direction. Be proud of your determination and your diligence. It looks as if it may be paying off quite handsomely.
Oh, what the hell - let's have some champagne anyway - we deserve it!
posted by TV Boy at 9:15 PM
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