Manchester City Council Tables Plan to Resurface Airport Runway

The Manchester City Council tabled a new plan to update the Manchester Municipal Airport on Monday night.

Earlier this year, the council, on a 3 to 2 vote, rejected plans to move forward with attempts to acquire land to expand the airport runway. Now, the City has proposed a new plan that would no longer include acquiring land for an expansion, but instead, resurfacing the airport runway.  

The City says the runway is due to be resurfaced, with safety a main concern. The proposed project would consist of milling the existing runway, placing an asphalt overlay, installing edge drain tiles and repainting the runway markings. The project will not increase the length or width of the existing runway. Resurfacing the runway would extend its life for another twenty years. 

The estimated cost for this project is one-point-one eight million dollars. Ninety-percent of the project would be covered by federal funds, with the City’s share at approximately $85,000.

The City Council heard comments from roughly half a dozen people who supported the project – including airport committee members and local pilots – with Tirzah Wedewer presenting the council with over fifty letters of support for the airport. 

Mayor Connie Behnken says the new plan is a compromise after the original plan to acquire land and expand the runway was turned down. She suggested the Council look at it as maintaining city property – similar to a city street or city park. Council member Bill Scherbring agrees, saying this project would be no different than resurfacing East Main Street – noting the cost share for the City would be a good deal. Council member Mary Ann Poynor says she has heard nothing but support for the airport to help keep our industries and downtown vital.

But not everyone in the Manchester community supports the airport. Council member Bryan Gray says he’s heard from numerous people who do not support updating the airport – and noted he would actually like to see the airport be sold. Council member Linda Schmidt says very few people use the airport. Council member Joe Dittrick said he wanted to see the vote tabled, explaining that he would like facts and further information before making a decision.  

After a lively and tense discussion, the Council voted 3 to 2 to table the vote on resurfacing the airport runway. Mayor Behnken has asked Council member Dittrick to provide a list of questions he’d like answered about the airport and proposed project.

photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH