FAA shovels in more funds to Tinian runway project
The Federal Aviation Administration has increased its grant for the construction of a new runway on West Tinian Airport by $1.1 million, which brings to $5,875,282 the total amount of assistance it has provided for the project, according to Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas.
Earlier, some $3.4 million has been set aside by the Tinian Legislative Delegation from its Capital Improvement Project funds. A total of $9,275,282 is now available to immediately begin work on the project.
The ports authority has already started drafting a request for proposal in preparation for the construction of the runway.
Tinian local officials have pledged to help raise the remaining $11 million to complete the runway construction, and Salas expressed hope that the ports authority will be able to get more funding from FAA.
The 7,600 ft new runway is less than 1,000 ft in length from the original plan to cut down cost, though officials explained it would still allow wide-body aircraft to land except the B747.
Construction of the new airport, which will be relocated on 8th Avenue, will be carried out in three phases and expected to be finished in three years.
FAA had rejected in the past the proposal of the Tinian Legislative Delegation to extend the existing runway instead of developing a new one because it will encroach on Broadway Avenue and would not meet the 1,000 ft safety area requirement.
The aviation agency also cited the “line of sight” problem which will make it difficult for pilots to have a clear sight of the Tinian runway on both ends.
The Tinian Delegation had attempted to persuade FAA in amending the approved plan because local leaders believed that by extending the existing runway, the airport would be able to immediately accommodate larger aircraft for passengers directly to and from various destinations.
However, since the Tinian Delegation’s proposal was not included in the original master plan for West Tinian airport, the ports authority will be required to make an expensive environmental impact study which would take a year.
Considering all these constraints, FAA advised the ports authority to stick to the original plan and reduce the runway to 7,600 ft. Due to the urgency of improving the existing runway, the delegation had approved the transfer of over $3 million from the Covenant 702 CIP funds originally allotted for the Tinian Civic Center.
The Tinian Delegation has emphasized that development of Tinian Dynasty & Casino hinges on the capability of the existing West Tinian Airport to accommodate bigger aircraft and bring in the needed number of visitors through direct flights to the island.
