Improving airport shouldn’t mean longer runway

This letter is in support of a better Saratoga airport, not a bigger Saratoga airport.

The recent federal grant of $1,058,309 for improving runway lighting and guidance systems is a positive step in the right direction. The new master plan proposal to extend the runway however is not.

The purpose of the extension proposal lacks safety and economic imperatives. The recent series of full scale tree remov- als has eliminated objects from the flight paths as required by the FAA. This addresses the FAA safety concern. The economic benefifit of the extension lacks any real substance other than a mention of possible increased fuel tax revenue.

It’s interesting to note the current Saratoga runway is only 100 feet shorter than Key West International, which has four airlines and two terminals and served more than 370,000 passengers in 2012. Adding a few hundred feet will hardly transform our airport..

In light of the protected I Karner blue butterfly habitat, a new extension could give flflight to as many new problems as new planes.

It’s important to point out that the FAA launched a “Sustainability Grant” program aimed at enabling airports to focus on staying viable into the future. I would hope consideration would be given to adding this to our focus as we plan the airport’s future.

We can be better without getting bigger.