Memphis OKs plan to fix west runway; invests in downtown airport

Memphis International Airport is prepping for a $10 million fix for a runway that's too close to Shelby Drive.

The Airport Authority voted Thursday to hire an engineer to design collapsible concrete surfacing that would stop a plane from reaching the six-lane street if it overran the runway.

In other action, the authority's general aviation and ground transportation committee indicated Gen. DeWitt Spain Airport near Downtown would continue to be a key backup, despite flooding problems.

DeWitt Spain just reopened Aug. 2 after more than three months of downtime due to spring flooding when the Mississippi River hit near-record stages.

So far the Airport Authority has spent about $1.7 million on contractors to put it back on line, minus insurance reimbursement and any federal disaster aid that may be forthcoming.

Authority president Larry Cox said DeWitt Spain and Charles Baker Airport preserve safety and capacity at the international airport by handling small aircraft .

If Memphis International had to handle those planes, it would likely need another runway, a $1 billion proposition including land acquisition, Cox said.

The authority took the initial step Thursday to remedy a long-standing issue with the westernmost of three north-south runways.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards require a 1,000-foot safety zone at the end of runways, but a Shelby Drive widening in the 1980s left 807 feet to Runway 18R. Airports have until 2015 to comply with the 1,000-foot standard, FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac said.

Salac said Memphis has been including 200 feet at the runway's south end in the safety zone, leaving 9,100 feet available for planes to land and take off.

By installing a 500-foot-long engineered material arresting system (EMAS) at the south end, the airport will regain full use of the 9,300-foot runway, Salac said.

The authority approved a resolution to hire Indianapolis-based RW Armstrong for $748,000 to design the project and provide support services during construction.

An EMAS features a crushable concrete surface. If a plane overshoots the end of the runway, "They actually crush into it and it stops them," Salac said.

Cox said the EMAS construction project will cost about $10 million. The FAA will fund 75 percent of project cost for design and construction.

- Wayne Risher: (901) 529-2874