Airport Looks To Expand Runway, CR 100E Closure Necessary
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The Times-Union previously reported in its Nov. 2 edition that Warsaw City Council approved the city advertising for the voluntary annexation of property east of the airport on the east side of CR 100E across from the end of the runway to prepare for the possible runway expansion. The airport owns the property.
The expansion would mean the permanent closure of CR 100E, between CRs 250N and 300N. The closure would not occur until mid-2012 to 2013, according to David Beall, Warsaw Municipal Airport manager.
Beall informed the Board of Aviation Commissioners during its meeting Tuesday night that the city approved advertising for the annexation.
Beall said Warsaw Plan Commission will need to review the annexation proposal, and make a recommendation that will be reviewed by Warsaw City Council.
Beall also said the public will have the opportunity to speak on the annexation issue at a public hearing before the plan commission.
The plan commission meets the second Monday of the month at Warsaw City Hall.
The commission did not hold a meeting this month, but its next meeting is Dec. 13, when the commission will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed annexation, Beall said.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at city hall.
Approximately 20 people attended Tuesday night's Board of Aviation Commissioners meeting to learn more about the annexation and proposed road closure plan.
During an interview Tuesday, Beall discussed the expansion plan and explained the additional 1,000 feet of runway was requested by corporate pilots for Zimmer, Biomet, DePuy, Image Air Charter, LLC and ML Motorsports.
Pilots from the businesses e-mailed letters to Warsaw's Board of Aviation Commissioners stating their reasons for the expansion. Beall shared those letters with the Times-Union.
There was an initial request from Zimmer in 2003 to expand the runway, Beall said, and there were requests from Warsaw Corporate Aviation Committee in 2008, and requests this year from Image Air Charter LLC, Biomet, Zimmer, and ML Motorsports for the expansion.
In the letters the pilots stated there was a need to extend the runway to combat poor weather conditions and to fly higher gross weight.
For Biomet, they need 5,100 feet minimum of runway after touchdown. The runway currently is 4,084 feet.
Beall said the pilots are asking for a 5,000-foot usable runway.
He said the airport owns the field to the east of CR 100E and intends to expand that direction which would require a half-mile stretch of CR100E between CRs 250N and 300N to be permanently closed.
The traffic plan means vehicles that travel CR 100E from the north would be forced west to Ind. 15 or east to CRs 350N and 175E.
"I have heard concerns we are cutting people off by closing 100E, but that is not the case," Beall said.
"I do understand people will have to alter their traffic habits and that is an inconvenience and we are sorry this has to occur, but we don't have any other option to lengthen the runway," Beall said.
Beall also said he met with Warsaw Fire Chief Mike Rice who said the expansion would not have a negative effect on fire protection.
The expansion also would require lowering power lines east of the airport from 150 feet to 50 feet.
Beall said 95 percent of the project will be paid for by Federal Aviation Administration, 2.5 percent will be paid for by the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners, and 2.5 percent will be paid for by INDOT.
Beall said the FAA supports the proposed expansion.
The cost of the expansion project is $6 million.
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The Times-Union previously reported in its Nov. 2 edition that Warsaw City Council approved the city advertising for the voluntary annexation of property east of the airport on the east side of CR 100E across from the end of the runway to prepare for the possible runway expansion. The airport owns the property.
The expansion would mean the permanent closure of CR 100E, between CRs 250N and 300N. The closure would not occur until mid-2012 to 2013, according to David Beall, Warsaw Municipal Airport manager.
Beall informed the Board of Aviation Commissioners during its meeting Tuesday night that the city approved advertising for the annexation.
Beall said Warsaw Plan Commission will need to review the annexation proposal, and make a recommendation that will be reviewed by Warsaw City Council.
Beall also said the public will have the opportunity to speak on the annexation issue at a public hearing before the plan commission.
The plan commission meets the second Monday of the month at Warsaw City Hall.
The commission did not hold a meeting this month, but its next meeting is Dec. 13, when the commission will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed annexation, Beall said.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at city hall.
Approximately 20 people attended Tuesday night's Board of Aviation Commissioners meeting to learn more about the annexation and proposed road closure plan.
During an interview Tuesday, Beall discussed the expansion plan and explained the additional 1,000 feet of runway was requested by corporate pilots for Zimmer, Biomet, DePuy, Image Air Charter, LLC and ML Motorsports.
Pilots from the businesses e-mailed letters to Warsaw's Board of Aviation Commissioners stating their reasons for the expansion. Beall shared those letters with the Times-Union.
There was an initial request from Zimmer in 2003 to expand the runway, Beall said, and there were requests from Warsaw Corporate Aviation Committee in 2008, and requests this year from Image Air Charter LLC, Biomet, Zimmer, and ML Motorsports for the expansion.
In the letters the pilots stated there was a need to extend the runway to combat poor weather conditions and to fly higher gross weight.
For Biomet, they need 5,100 feet minimum of runway after touchdown. The runway currently is 4,084 feet.
Beall said the pilots are asking for a 5,000-foot usable runway.
He said the airport owns the field to the east of CR 100E and intends to expand that direction which would require a half-mile stretch of CR100E between CRs 250N and 300N to be permanently closed.
The traffic plan means vehicles that travel CR 100E from the north would be forced west to Ind. 15 or east to CRs 350N and 175E.
"I have heard concerns we are cutting people off by closing 100E, but that is not the case," Beall said.
"I do understand people will have to alter their traffic habits and that is an inconvenience and we are sorry this has to occur, but we don't have any other option to lengthen the runway," Beall said.
Beall also said he met with Warsaw Fire Chief Mike Rice who said the expansion would not have a negative effect on fire protection.
The expansion also would require lowering power lines east of the airport from 150 feet to 50 feet.
Beall said 95 percent of the project will be paid for by Federal Aviation Administration, 2.5 percent will be paid for by the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners, and 2.5 percent will be paid for by INDOT.
Beall said the FAA supports the proposed expansion.
The cost of the expansion project is $6 million.
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