Airport gains money for runway extension

By Brandon Shulleeta

Published: September 13, 2008

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is on path to building a runway extension, now that the airport is expected to receive about $4.5 million from the Virginia Aviation Board.

“At this point, it is expected that money will be available,” said Betty Wilson, the board’s communications and education coordinator. The board approved the allocations as “tentative” last month.

Barbara Hutchinson, executive director of the local airport, said Friday: “We don’t have the money yet,” but for all practical purposes, “it’s a done deal.”

The design and construction of the runway extension will likely cost an additional $35 million to $40 million, Hutchinson said.

The $4.5 million in likely funds comes as a sign of the Aviation Board’s desire to help pay for the extension, she said. About $4.2 million of that would help lay the groundwork for the extension.

A gravel road is in the path of the planned runway extension and has to be relocated. In addition, wetlands mitigation has to be completed and erosion and sediment control measures have to be implemented.

Hutchinson presented plans to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors in August to increase erosion control near the current runway to allow for an extension.

The airport has been planning to extend the runway since 2003, so aircraft can take off in humid conditions without having to carry less fuel or reduce the passenger load.

Due to the airport’s location, aircraft performance is negatively affected by high-density altitude. More types of aircraft — such as larger, faster and more comfortable regional jets —will be able to take off and land at the extended runway, Hutchinson said.

The airport, like many of similar size in the country, has seen a decline in passenger traffic in the past few months compared with last year. In July 2008, passenger traffic at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport was 18 percent less than July 2007.

However, the passenger traffic decrease appears to be diminishing, Hutchinson said, noting that August passenger traffic was down only 9 percent compared with August 2007.

“I think we’ve started our period of recovery,” she said.