A proposed runway extension at Albert Whitted Airport is still at least six years away.
In November 2015, St. Petersburg City Council approved $50,000 for a study exploring the possibility of extending the southwest-to-northeast runway 1,300 to 1,800 feet to the east, into Tampa Bay (toward the right in the photo above).
For Albert Whitted, an extended runway means larger planes can use the airport. It would also allow for takeoffs and landings to begin farther to the east.
The runway’s flight path cuts directly across the USF St. Petersburg campus, limiting building height. If approved and completed, it’s possible that these height restrictions could be scaled back.
In January, The Crow’s Nest reported that the feasibility study was finally approaching completion. At that time, Richard Lesniak, Albert Whitted’s airport manager, said that the study — which was originally expected to take a few months — was nearly finished and estimated that it would be complete within 90 days.
Now, the study is being wrapped up and the airport is ready to take the next step.
“We are setting up a meeting with the mayor’s office in the next couple of weeks,” said Lesniak. “I don’t have an exact date, though. There’s no hard time limit on this.”
Exploring the possibility of a runway extension hasn’t been the airport’s main concern. Ever since the initial approval, the airport has tackled more immediate projects such as building new hangars and rehabilitating the two existing runway tracks.
After that, Lesniak says the airport would prepare a presentation for City Council, who would have the final say in deciding whether the runway extension would be pursued.
The results of the study are confidential for now, but nothing will happen in terms of construction anytime soon.
Albert Whitted must jump through a few regulatory hoops before any changes are made. First, the airport must reveal the findings to City Council, which Lesniak expects to happen soon. However, the largest hurdle for the bayside airport will be to create a master plan that will be reviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The airport has requested funding for a master plan in its 2018 fiscal year, but Lesniak notes that a master plan typically takes 18-24 months to lay out.
“If the city decides to pursue the extension, it wouldn’t be completed until five or six years after the master plan is completed,” said Lesniak.
The wait could be much longer, though.
An extension into Tampa Bay faces clear environmental challenges. When the study was given the green light in late 2015, multiple council members spoke out against making changes that may harm the environment.
Photo courtesy of Google Maps
