Four Corners Airport may expand runway

Nov. 14--FARMINGTON -- Farmington is isolated, not just geographically, but also because its lacking in transportation infrastructure.

The city doesn't have a rail line or interstate, its airport is too small to accept large planes, and even its bus service is limited in connections.

As city officials review capital improvement projects, one city councilor already knows the one he considers most important.

"In order for our community to truly grow we are going to have to have reliable jet service in and out of the area," said Farmington City Councilor Jason Sandel. "Unless we extend the runway at Four Corners Regional Airport, we are stuck with beach craft 1900's for the rest of our lives."

One of the city's proposed projects is a $23 million airport runway extension.

It calls for extending Runway 5 1,000 feet to the Southwest. The additional space would allow regional jets to land, because they need more runway than the turbo props currently in use.

"This single infrastructure improvement would allow an airline to operate jet aircraft and provide service direct to either Houston or Dallas," states the project proposal. "The approximate 675-mile distance to Dallas would require use of a regional jet, such as a 37-seat Embraer Regional Jet."

"I appreciate the service that we do have," Sandel said. "But I want better. I think the community deserves and needs better."

The extension would require the acquisition of nearly 30 acres of land, and would relocate

a mobile home park and several other residents. A total of 22 relocations would be necessary for the project to happen.

"Extending the runway was identified as a feasible project in the 2004 airport master plan," said Four Corners Regional Airport Manager Ben Trujillo. "Without a doubt this would provide a significant economic benefit to the community."

If the project were to be completed, it would extend runway 5 from 6,500 to 7,500 feet, and require approximately 2,600,000-cubic-yards of imported fill material. The project would include constructing a retaining wall along the northeast side of U.S. Highway 64, as well as slope stabilization.

"For a project of this size it could take up to 18 months to complete," Trujillo said. "We could go with a shortened runway, essentially you could use it during construction."The runway extension project was included in the list of capital improvement projects recently presented to Farmington's City Council.

What angers Sandel, is the fact that it was included under the unfunded section. A majority of the projects on the city generated list were primarily funded by increasing the length of city held bonds, but the airport extension was not.

"I take that to mean that the city is not interested in trying to find a way to make those projects happen," Sandel said, referring to the list of unfunded projects that included such things as a new fire station and extending Pinon Hills Blvd.

"That there are commitments to funding an IT strategic plan, but not to things like extending the runway or Pinon Hills Blvd., is disturbing to me," Sandel said. "I've pushed in a variety of different meetings over my tenure as a councilor for that project to be the number one project for the airport, going so far as to say that no additional money be spent at the airport before that is taken care of."

Other Councilors and city officials caution that just because a project appeared in the unfunded category didn't mean that it wasn't a priority.

"All the proposed projects are technically unfunded until the city council allocates funding for them," said City Manager Rob Mayes. "The reason that I have laid them out in a tiered format is to begin the process of aligning various projects with levels of funding. The projects in the unfunded category simply exceed the costs that I have the authority to recommend."

According to Trujillo, Farmington would only have to pony up 2.5 percent of the $23 million extension.

"The majority would come from the government, up to 95 percent" Trujillo said. "The city would kick in 2.5 percent and the state would put in 2.5 percent."

That would mean the city would only have to pay $5.7 million.

"For the feds to allocate money we have to do an analysis," Trujillo said. "That's what we are doing right now with the airport master plan update. We have to see if there is a demand. It's not a, if you build it they will come scenario. It's the other way around."

Copyright 2011 - The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.