As the debate over the extension of a runway at T.F. Green Airport intensifies – with economic development and business interests in support of the idea and Warwick city officials and nearby residents opposed to it – one need not look any farther than Manchester, N.H., to see how important a thriving airport is to a local economy.
Consider that the following projects have been completed recently or are under way at Manchester Airport:
• The finishing touches are being put on the airport’s new terminals – an extension that adds an extra 75,000 square feet to the airport’s 228,000-square-foot passenger terminal – with four new jet gates, ticket counters, baggage claim and new concessions.
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• Two runways at Manchester Airport were reconstructed and lengthened. Runway 17-35 was extended from 7,000 feet to 9,250 feet and Runway 6-24 from 5,850 to 7,000 feet. The runways were open in September 2003. Shortly after the extensions, Manchester’s largest carrier, Southwest Airlines, began offering daily nonstop service to Las Vegas.
• A six-level, 48,000-space parking garage was constructed, adding 4,000 public parking spaces and 800 rental car spaces, providing parking for 10,000 vehicles. Another garage is being constructed next year.
The fact is, Manchester Airport is growing at a rapid pace. In 2002, it brought $716 million into the area’s economy – up from $170 million a decade ago. Airport officials project that by 2015 it will pump $1.5 billion into the local economy.
By comparison, Rhode Island’s T.F. Green remains bigger – and more profitable – than Manchester Airport. It generates $1.3 billion in economic activity.
But T.F. Green is at a critical crossroads. While Logan International in Boston has become at least somewhat more accessible, thanks to the completion of certain segments of the Big Dig, and Manchester expands its offerings, T.F. Green is mired in a debate over extending a runway of its own.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation currently has three proposals to extend T.F. Green’s main runway to 9,500 feet. Those plans would in all likelihood include relocating Airport Road or Main Avenue and condemning about 350 homes.
Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian doesn’t like the proposals. And U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, the former Mayor of Warwick, is also cool to the idea. They are concerned about traffic and the impact on the neighborhoods.
We understand their concerns. And certainly the city of Warwick should play a major role in guiding the growth of T.F. Green.
But T.F. Green belongs to all of Rhode Island. It may just be the most important economic generator we have. It not only attracts thousands of passengers each day, but businesses. It is among our strongest selling points.
The idea of extending the main runway was originally part of a long-term Master Plan. It was not expected to be addressed for many years. But economic conditions change.
T.F. Green needs a longer runway so that it remains the solid investment of taxpayer dollars it has been since it was renovated several years ago.
Our competitors are getting stronger. To ignore that, would be bad for business. And bad for our economy.
