Court Overturns Tweed Runway Limit

by Thomas Breen | Jul 9, 2019 4:16 pm

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Posted to: Legal Writes, Transportation, Morris Cove

Mayor Toni Harp and a host of local economic development staffers, business people, and elected officials took a victory lap at Tweed New Haven Airport to celebrate a federal court decision effectively overturning the state’s prohibition on expanding the airport’s runway. Over 50 people crammed into the main airport terminal in Morris Cove Tuesday afternoon for a press conference touting the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decision issued earlier in the day in the case Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority v. Tong. The lawsuit, first filed in 2009 by the airport authority and by the city against then-state Attorney General George Jepson, alleged that the state legislature’s decade-old Runway Statute limiting Tweed’s runway to 5,600 feet conflicts with federal aviation safety laws. A U.S. District Court subsequently found that the airport did not have standing to sue the state because its alleged injury was not caused directly by the statute, and because the state law was not preempted by federal laws. The appeals court overturned that decision Tuesday, arguing that Tweed does indeed have standing to sue the state, and that the Federal Aviation Act (FAAct) does indeed take precedence over any state laws that impact the safety of airplanes flying into or out of Tweed. “We hope today’s ruling signals the first step on a path toward improved access to New Haven for all those who want to be here and all who need to be here,” Harp said, “and improved access for New Haven to markets across the country and around the world.” Conspicuously absent from the press conference was New Haven State Sen. and State Senate President Martin Looney, who called on the state attorney general to appeal the decision. (More later in this article on Looney’s response to the announcement.) Click here to download the full decision. The decision renders moot the decade-long battle undertaken by city officials and local state legislators to repeal or circumvent the runway limitation law, which has remained in place in Hartford in part because of the defense of Looney, who represents the portions of New Haven and East Haven covered by the airport. Opponents to Tweed’s proposed expansion argue that a longer runway and more air traffic would result in a great disruption to Morris Cove residents’ quality of life and would present environmental dangers in a flood-prone part of the city. “Obviously we’re pleased with the decision. We’re greatly encouraged by it,” Tweed Interim Director Matthew Hoey told the Independent Tuesday morning. He said the airport authority now plans to start working on getting any other Federal Aviation AdminIstration (FAA) and state approvals necessary to begin the expansion. “This is as much about safety as it is about service enhancement,” he said, citing the argument in the court’s decision that a limited runway unfairly imposed “weight penalties” on aircraft by limiting the number of people who could be on any given plane flying out of Tweed. This decision will allow the airport to jump on offers from other airlines to bring their service to Tweed, he said, which had previously held off because of the runway restriction. He said the airport authority will prioritize attracting airlines that serve Chicago, Washington D.C., and Florida. American Airlines currently flies three flights a day from New Haven to Philadelphia, and one flight on Saturdays from New Haven to Charlotte. Hoey added that the airport authority is about to enter the final phase of its home insulation program, which, when complete, will have seen over $12 million in window replacements and other sound insulation measures taken in nearly 180 houses in the surrounding neighborhood. “We’re going to continue in that vein with which we’ve worked with the community over the years,” he said. At Tuesday’s press conference, Hoey, Harp, and city Acting Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli promised a new round of community benefits and mitigation efforts for neighbors who will be affected by an expanded runway. “Noise, traffic, stormwater, air quality,” Piscitelli said as he listed where the city will focus its mitigation efforts going forward. “We’re going to continue to work with the community on what the right measures are in these areas of focus.” Harp and Yale New Haven Hospital Vice President Vincent Petrini praised the court’s decision as opening a whole new gateway to jobs, recruitment, and other economic development previously closed because of the runway restriction. “In my mind,” Harp said, “the U.S. Court of Appeals today wound up in step with the economic development ideals I’ve had since I first became mayor, and now clears the path to improved air service and improved access to and from New Haven.” Petrini heralded today as an important day for Tweed, for New Haven, and for the state more broadly. “Enhanced air service means jobs,” he said. “This state needs jobs. We’re going to work very, very hard to make sure that happens.” YNHH already employs 25,000 people, he said, from Greenwich to Stonington. An expanded runway will allow them to attract “great minds” from throughout the country and throughout the world. Hoey said he would like to see the airport get to 30 flights per day and 180,000 emplanements per year, which, he said, are the same numbers outlined in the original community benefits agreement between Tweed, East Haven, and New Haven signed back in 2009. Tweed’s Master Plan, submitted per federal guidelines to the FAA back in 2002, includes extending the length of the runway up to 7,200 feet. Looney and State Sen. Len Fasano of North Haven issued a joint release Tuesday urging the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Looney argued that any airport expansion must come with a community benefits agreement reached with the neighborhood. “The strong residential neighborhoods around Tweed must be protected from any damaging impact caused by the potential overruling of state law,” Looney said. Fasano accused the Harp administration of “stabbing the community in the back” by originally agreeing to a deal that allowed for airport expansion within limits, then pursuing a court overrule of that deal. He noted that as a state senator, Harp voted for the deal that the federal appeals court has struck down. “How can the community ever trust Tweed and the City of New Haven again?” Fasano asked.



“While today’s ruling concerns state statute, it does not change the fact that a contract still exists between Tweed, East Haven and New Haven. No federal law can invalidate that contract. I have spoken to the East Haven mayor and it is clear that the contract with Tweed is still enforceable, and therefore restrictions are still in place based on that contract.” Samantha Norton, a spokesperson for state Attorney General William Tong, said the AG’s office is weighing whether or not to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. “The Office of the Attorney General is reviewing the decision of the Second Circuit,” she wrote in an email statement, “and will determine whether it will file an appeal in the U.S. Supreme Court. The State has 90 days to file such a request, should it elect to do so.” The Court’s Decision The decision itself, written by Circuit Judge Barrington Parker, begins by noting that Tweed has a “catchment area” — or an area from which an airport expects to draw passengers — in excess of one million people. The airport’s primary runway, Runway 2/20, meanwhile, is only 5,600 feet long. “The runway is one of the shortest commercial airport runways in the country,” he wrote, “and it is the shortest runway for an airport with a catchment area as large as Tweed’s area.” To be precise, the judge wrote, the airport has the 13th shortest runway out of the 348 airports where commercial service is provided in the U.S. In 2009, the Connecticut legislature passed its Runway Statute, which prohibited Tweed from exceeding the existing paved runway length of 5,600 feet. “The short length of the Airport’s runway has sharply limited the availability of safe commercial air service at Tweed,” Parker wrote. “The length of a runway has a direct bearing on the weight load and passenger capacity that can be handled on any given flight. For example, at the time of trial, American Airlines, the one commercial airline providing service to and from the Airport, was unable to safely fill its planes to capacity and was required, depending on the weather, to leave between four and nine seats empty.” Furthermore, Barrington wrote, the runway restriction has limited Tweed’s ability to attract new airline services. He noted that the airport authority has reached out to around 10 different airlines and has been unable to convince any to come to New Haven, all because of the runway. “Lengthening the runway would allow for the safe use of larger aircraft,” he wrote, “allow flights with no seating restrictions, allow more passengers on each airplane, and allow service to more destinations. It would also allow Tweed to attract more carriers and expand the availability of safe air service for its customers.” The judge wrote that the court found that the state legislature’s Runway Statute is out of line with the FAAct’s explicit objective of establishing a “uniform and exclusive system of federal regulation in the field of air safety.” “If every state were free to control the lengths of runways within its boundaries,” he wrote, “this Congressional objective could never be achieved.” Click on the Facebook Live video below to watch the full press conference.

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posted by: anonymous on July 9, 2019 1:26pm Allowing a few more flights in to Tweed (which is possible just by paving the grass area that is already designated as runway) can create hundreds of jobs in the area. It would make it possible to host national meetings here. It would also mean that most of the serious businesses in the New Haven area will no longer have to hold their executive meetings in (or even move some of their staff to) places like Boston and New York that have viable business air service. Bradley is fine for occasional retiree trips and vacations. However, for local firms, it is completely unworkable for regular business travel. Boston, DC, NYC, Austin, Portland, Hartford, and just about every other city in the nation has a major airport within a 10-20 minute drive of the central business district.

posted by: Multinucleate on July 9, 2019 1:36pm It seems like this would support economic development….good thing, no?

posted by: Noteworthy on July 9, 2019 2:06pm The Airport Authority must be thrilled that with the ink barely dry on the agreement that settled all the lawsuits, it then embarked on a new battle front to overturn the agreement. How charmed. As for providing hundreds of jobs - that’s a joke. But I’ll sit back and count them as they roar into broke ass New Haven. It will now be my mission to stop all taxpayer funding for Tweed. It can make it or break it on its own. We have not needed to subsidize Tweed in the past and we really don’t need to subsidize it now. If any suburban towns want to kick in - by all means, please do so. This taxpayer, who can’t afford to fly out of Tweed is tired of paying for your luxury to do so.

posted by: alex on July 9, 2019 2:26pm Huge victory for the city’s legal team and strategy.

posted by: westville man on July 9, 2019 2:37pm Yippee! The greater good overrides the vocal minority after years of struggle. I suspect it still might not be over but we shall see.

Now, if we can only get our small minded “Westvillains” to allow the concerts back at the Bowl! We can finally draw some larger acts back to New Haven.

posted by: mrschramm on July 9, 2019 2:41pm This is great news. An invigorated Tweed would been a economic boon to the greater New Haven area.

posted by: wendy1 on July 9, 2019 3:47pm No more city money for Tweed, period.

posted by: Stylo on July 9, 2019 4:12pm Fantastic news. Onward!

posted by: Elmmy on July 9, 2019 5:02pm If Harp lived near the airport then she wouldn’t be celebrating this development. With that being said, what plans do they have in dealing with the increased ground traffic in a residential area, as well as the increase in air pollution? Harp didn’t have an issue with children being exposed to lead, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there is no plan.

posted by: westville man on July 9, 2019 5:06pm @ Senator Looney- smh. Already appealing the decision. This is someone who tried to get a baseball stadium built in Long wharf for economic benefit to the area.

But he won’t support Improving an already existing facility. Very disappointed in him.

posted by: westville man on July 9, 2019 5:09pm I will add Senator Fasano to my comment as well. Very disappointing. A republican against economic growth? Though I’d still vote for him for governor!

posted by: 1644 on July 9, 2019 5:25pm Ideally, we would have a train tunnel from Hunt’s Point to LGA then onto JFK, or even decent service to EWR, but we don’t, so a small, convenient airport is needed. If this takes off, I can see a lot of smaller conferences at Yale and other venues in New Haven. My wife belongs to an international group that meets biennially, and it would be great to host a conference here one year, but New Haven is just too difficult to get to.

posted by: CatDude on July 9, 2019 5:33pm This is great for the city and much needed. 30 flights a day out of Tweed would be awesome. Shame on Looney for trying to block this. Loser.

posted by: anonymous on July 9, 2019 5:43pm 1644 is right, nobody in their right mind would host a conference or event in New Haven unless they absolutely had to. Most organizations won’t even consider it as an option. Add a few flights per day, and that equation changes. New Haven could easily become a hot conference city, like Asheville. If Fasano or Looney knew the amount of business that that Greater New Haven currently loses because companies have to host their events (even their small board meetings) in other cities due to the limited air service, they might come around.

posted by: 1644 on July 9, 2019 6:22pm Elmy: My understanding is that the hope is to restore service to past levels, not create some radical new high. The present roads have only been improved since the days the airport had far more traffic than it has now, and they handled the traffic fine then. As for air pollution, enhancing a local mass transit hub will mean people drive and pollute less.

posted by: smarcus on July 9, 2019 7:05pm This is good news. Also, the current flights have had good numbers the past year, and American Airlines has increased the jet sizes due to demand. They are now phasing in 76 seat jets for their New Haven flights and that is with the current runway. Noise-wise, there is a video posting of one of the 76 seat jets taking off from Tweed last week and the noise level is considerably lower than when their were prop planes from US Airways or when the older jets flew from Tweed years ago.

posted by: steve on July 9, 2019 7:46pm @Elmmy, Mayor Harp would have known the airport was already there and then factored that into the decision to buy a home. @wendy1, 90% of the runway project will be funded by the FAA. @Noteworthy, “.

It will now be my mission to stop all taxpayer funding for Tweed.” I’m sure you could find a more useful mission to embark on, the airport has been in operation since 1931 and most moved in after that date. American Airlines success shows the public will support more service and with the runway upgraded, Delta and United are bound to offer new flights at Tweed. Along with more flights comes more income for the airport, so its a win-win for area travelers. The 2009 MOA had a legal provision that allowed either party to back out, so no laws were broken. I look forward to using Tweed more than I did in the past, its nearby unlike Bradley being almost in Massachusetts and its a hassle free, easy to navigate airport. Try it, you’ll like it.

posted by: Pardee on July 9, 2019 8:57pm @Alex “Huge victory for the city’s legal team and strategy.” Hah! Hardly. The word from Hartford is that Yale took over the campaign to expand the runways, and the City was happy to let them. Besides, Harp’s legal team is too busy using our tax dollars to fight all the lawsuits her administration brought upon the City.

posted by: Steve:O on July 9, 2019 10:30pm With all due respect to the politicians and business folk who want to expand Tweed, “What have you been smoking?’ Every past expansion has been accompanied with promises of lots more jobs and a more vibrant airport. The actual result has been only increased corporate welfare, and “pretend” jobs for some people at the airport, oh, and more noise. Instead of throwing more money in the Tweed toilet, why don’t the Yale/New Haven bigwigs just buy their own corporate jet(s) or timeshare jet(s)? Ones that can fly on the existing runway, ones that can be used flexibly as to time and destination. Probably would cost a lot less, would look a lot more prestigious, and the local bigwigs can happily fly themselves and clients to and from Davos or Orlando or DC as their needs and means dictate. It would save everyone a lot of money and trouble. As for the idea that a bigger airport will make Yale/New Haven a greater destination? Baloney. Look at Hartford, they have a bigger airport, does it make Hartford a more vibrant happening place? A destination city? No, it does not. Get real, end commercial flights at Tweed, save money, reduce noise, and fly your own aircraft on your own dime.

posted by: Noteworthy on July 10, 2019 1:41am We’ll be a conference hub? In your wildest peyote dreams We have exactly zero in common with Asheville. It’s a little unseemly for Mayor Harp to be doing the happy dance at the expense of nearly all her taxpayers and most certainly, at the expense of those on the East Shore. How many taxpayers can afford to fly out of Tweed? Not many. But she’s doing a good job of taking care of suburban folks who don’t mind paying more for a ticket.

posted by: Esbey on July 10, 2019 5:32am It is time for Martin Looney to quickly negotiate that community benefits package that he always talks about. If not, the courts may allow the expanded runway without any benefits package (as they should).

posted by: CityYankee on July 10, 2019 6:37am Thanks, STEVEO , nailing it.. What are these people smoking? “They” would come here for conferences/business if Tweed were bigger? No business wants to come to NH! Planes pollute, make noise, increase traffic in a dense residential area, impacts a sensitive tidal marsh area. Plus—WE AIN’T GOT THE MONEY.

Tweed has ALWAYS been more expensive than Bradley. No doubt that it is closer but it is not a good neighbor . Noise ordinances and time of flights violate the rules all the time—it really is part of New Haven- law? what law? leaded gas? So what! It’s good enough to poison children;it’s good enough for Cove and EH residents. Some newer jets are quieter but it is the private jets that use it and Robinson Airways that make the most noise. A bigger field for my private jet?? Marvy! Have the servants wash the jet for me….I must fly to Tweed for the Tennis Match!

Do you see who benefits? YALE. They want the suckers to pay for it and they will benefit the most.

posted by: CityYankee on July 10, 2019 6:39am Also—- property owners of NH & EH. A bigger, louder airport will pollute the air you breathe, stain your house with soot (not sure what it is) . Will your house be devalued as a result of being in a less desirable place? You bet. Contact your TAX ASSESSOR to have your property value and taxes lowered to correspond with the expansion of an airport. Or get together as a group and hire an attorney to sue New Haven

posted by: Ex-HVN on July 10, 2019 6:48am I’m thrilled with the court decision.

I now live in western Fairfield County. When Delta had jets service from New Haven to Cinncinatti hub, I flew from Tweed about one round trip each month. After Delta left I have used White Plains for my domestic travel. I look forward o flying from Tweed again on a regular basis.

Almost 50 years ago, Tweed had regular jet service on Eastern Airline B727s to Washington National continuing one stop service to Miami which my family used regularly.

I used Allegheny Convair propjet service to and from college in Philadelphia, youth fares in those days made the fare equivalent to Amtrak.

My daughter flies out of White Plains on business weekly, choosing to connect in Atlanta rather than use Laguardia or Bradley, she would be thrilled to use Tween and avoid NY. BTW, in the 2005 era when Delta was flying. My wife and MIL would drive and pick me up in New Haven. They used it as an excuse to shop in New Haven and dine there as well. If I had a flight due in from 4-8 pm it always was followed by supper in New Haven. Now I don’t think we dine in New Haven twice a year. I don’t remember the last time we shopped in New Haven, but if I had a reason to come there such as an airport I would

posted by: LookOut on July 10, 2019 7:57am Great news. Please fast track this. Also > Disappointed but not surprised that Looney is on the wrong side here. > To those who say BDL has no effect on Hartford - - you have clearly never planned an event for outsiders. We often are choosing between New Haven and Hartford and get stuck with Hartford because New Haven effectively has no air service. And the Yale/corporate bigwig argument is silly. The bigwigs ALREADY have private jets that they use to hop around. This expansion creates an opportunity for everyone else. Come on, think this through a little.

posted by: UrbanPlanner on July 10, 2019 9:40am This is a a big win for the entire State. Connecticut is the only state in New England that has not recovered since the 2008 recession; adjusted for inflation, its economic strength has only returned to 2004 levels, effectively meaning 15 years of no growth despite a historic bull market, historic low interest rates, and historic unemployment rates. This is nothing short of a crisis- imagine if the economy was historically poor! So what is wrong with our state? I’d argue it is the lack of a vibrant, modern city where younger, talented, and educated people want to live and work. CT historically offered safe, clean, quiet suburbs to raise families, but now people seem to prefer living close to or within cities offering more of… well… everything. Businesses then follow the talent pool touting the desirable location in recruiting efforts; and secondary and smaller businesses can then start up or follow the primary ones into this market, looking to pickoff local talent. However, for businesses considering a new location and tapping into new talent pools, access to a “real” airport is a pre-requisite. Even small companies today are global, and require constant travel. Hartford does not and will not draw talented, younger, educated residents for businesses to chase. New Haven, which does have the makings of a vibrant, educated city, does not have a real airport to offer, and businesses and residents alike do not stay here long. This court ruling is the first step down the path of fixing the entire state’s economy, and history will set the record straight. Looney and Fasano should be booted from office for preventing jobs and economic growth, which are critically needed, for the sake of their personal property interest and those of their immediate neighbors. I hope they are both replaced by people of higher moral character. Either way, they will go down in history as the loser luddites soon to be forgotten.

posted by: anonymous on July 10, 2019 9:49am “Will your house be devalued as a result of being in a less desirable place? You bet.” Incorrect. East Shore’s property values will double once there are two or three more flights out of Tweed, because businesses and events will be able to locate in New Haven again. Just look at the property values in East Boston, or Crystal City, just a few hundred feet from the Boston and DC airports. You can’t even buy a tiny new apartment for a million dollars. Many of them are two million dollars now, even the ones that are nearly sitting right on the runway. Talk to the biotechnology community in New Haven and ask them how many companies have chosen those areas in large part because they are served by more than one flight.

posted by: datsunrobbie on July 10, 2019 10:04am Glad to see this finally happening. Having more flights should make it cheaper to fly from Tweed. It’s still not as nice as flying from Startford/Sikorsky was back in the ‘90s, but beats having to drive to Bradley or one of the NY airports.

posted by: Lefty Ruggiero on July 10, 2019 10:21am @Ex-HVN Agreed. I live in New Haven and me, along with everyone in my group at work, travel frequently for business. I typically only book Delta flights in BDL unless I absolutely have to use someone else, but I would gladly give switch airlines to be able to use an airport 5 minutes from home. As it stands now, I need to get up at 4 am to catch a 7 am flight cross-country. I know I can use Tweed and connect in PHL, but if I need to make a connection, I’d rather do it half-way across the continent than 45 minutes away. Also, lots of people are acting like it won’t do anything for the city of New Haven economically. No one can predict the future but air travel has only been increasing and will continue to do so. I saw someone else mention that Hartford doesn’t benefit from having an airport. Hartford also doesn’t have a world-class university with people from all over the planet coming in on a regular basis. I would put my money on Yale hosting more conferences with flights coming in from Chicago and DC.

posted by: Esbey on July 10, 2019 10:22am To all those who say it is a pipe dream that jobs would come to New Haven, recall some facts. There already about 70,000 jobs within a ten mile radius of New Haven City Hall, the majority of them *not* at Yale or the hospital. They include biotech firms, tech industry jobs (including at the new “District”), architecture and engineering firms as well as many service jobs and more manufacturing jobs than you might think. Yale is investing to grow lab science, computer science and data science, all of which create spin-off companies in university towns. Private investors are building hotels, anticipating increased travel to New Haven. Yale itself hosts many conferences and events, often in competition with other university towns. On weekend summer evenings, downtown New Haven is crowded and jumping with activity. We have more cultural events (theater, concerts, etc.) than we have population to attend. Real estate prices are low compared to other university towns. It would be a great place for a startup to grow, if transportation was not so bad. Some additional flights to hub airports, somewhat faster trains to NYC and Boston and somewhat less traffic congestion (tolls!) will tip the balance for some firms. Saying “LOL we can’t grow” will be a self-fulfilling prophecy if we let the naysayers rule. If we support jobs, they will come.

posted by: The Cause on July 10, 2019 11:14am I’m for expansion , but not for the benefit of Yale U or Health. If they want to buy all of our prime New Haven taxable properties and take it off the Grand List. Let them buy Tweed and Pay for its operation. It’s the least they can do.

posted by: CityYankee on July 10, 2019 11:30am @ anonymous: so, I will have to pay more taxes for the pleasure of hosting an airport that others will use? I say the property will be devalued. New Haven is not NYC so that comparison is invalid. Bring an assessor out to the meetings and assure neighbors of the truth—- value up or value down? Taxpayers want to know!

posted by: Spike75 on July 10, 2019 12:00pm This is stupid. Greater New Haven has an airport. It’s called Bradley International Airport. The fastest growing business corridor in Massachusetts is the 495 area west to Shrewsbury and Worcester. Their airport is Logan International Airport in East Boston. On an average weekday it takes about TWICE as long to drive from Shrewsbury to East Boston as it does from, say, Hamden to Windsor Locks. Also, the state’s airport authority is totally beholden to the BDL powers-that-be. They will never let this happen. And William Tong will do their evil bidding—he is the most business-hostile AG ever.

posted by: steve on July 10, 2019 12:57pm @ Steve:O, what expansion are you talking about? The runway still stands at 5600 feet for landing in one direction and 5250 feet in the other and its been that way since the early 70’s. American airlines is doing very well and has upgraded the flights to larger planes, why, because people want more service at Tweed and are supporting the present service. When the runway is upgraded, I see Delta and United offering new service which will increase the airports income and reduce the dependence on Bradley field. The Yale excuse holds no water, the flights I am on are filled with average people, the rich will always fly on private jets and that will never change. Tweed can be the airport of choice for the metro New Haven area and will mean keeping money spent by air travelers in the local area, I/E. restaurants,hotels and shopping centers, not Hartford.

@CityYankee, I have seen times when Tweed has lower fares than Bradley, fares change many times during the day so Tweed does not always cost more.

@Spike75, ever look at a state map? Bradley is not in a position to serve the entire state. It works for Hartford and Springfield, but New Haven has a much closer airport that will work for most flyers. New London-Groton use closer Providence airport and Fairfield uses the much closer White Plains airport.

As far as international flights, JFK is the biggest international airport on the east coast with more airlines, more non-stop flights and a wide selection of fares. Bradley is international in name only.

posted by: BetweenTwoRocks @CityYankee: You are either going to pay more taxes and have your property value go up, or you’ll pay less taxes and your property value will go down.

posted by: 1644 on July 10, 2019 2:11pm CityYankee: Jets don’t use gasoline, let alone leaded gasoline. Leaded aviation gasoline is solely used by piston-powered aircraft, which is to say very small aircraft, typically old, single engine, two or four seat aircraft.

posted by: Leftoncharlie on July 10, 2019 2:27pm I think it is pretty minor league that a city with a world renowned university and hospital doesn’t until yesterday have a half way decent airport

posted by: anonymous on July 10, 2019 2:38pm “The fastest growing business corridor in Massachusetts is the 495 area west to Shrewsbury and Worcester.” Yes, Worcester has direct flights to Philadelphia, a couple places in Florida, and NYC, where there are boatloads of connecting flights. The airport is 5-10 minutes from downtown. In addition to that, they can choose between a 1 hr drive to Boston (or less if you are living in Shrewsbury or east of it) and a 1 hr drive to BDL. All much better than the options for businesses in New Haven.

posted by: sccampion on July 10, 2019 3:04pm “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Winston Churchill. The Appeals Court has ruled in favor of expansion.

As a member of the grassroots coalition opposing the runway expansion since 2014, our group stood up and stands with the affected neighborhoods quality of life thru advocacy for the protection of the environment, chronic health issues,public safety & traffic management, and demonstrable fiscal accountability. I want to comment on two legislators, whose invaluable commitment and advocacy for their constituents’ challenge to the Runway Expansion, exemplified the very best of residents and elected officials working towards the Greater Good! Senator Martin Looney and Senator Len Fasano. Joining the advocacy campaign were New Haven’s Rep. Paolillo and newly elected East Haven’s Rep. Zullo.

Sen. Looney, Senate President and Sen. Fasano Senate Minority Leader were grappling with the state’s hot button issues of preserving fiscal sustainability, tolls, taxes, and a myriad of other vital legislation in 2019. Although they were often on different sides of a legislation, the two leaders were and are united in their opposition to the Expansion. At a time in our country, when citizens experience severe distrust and disappointment at elected officials cozing up to Big Money, Special Interest, and Disregard for the hard-working women and men, who elected them. The supporters of the third attempt to pass legislation on the Runway Expansion, Sens. Looney and Fasano were continuously pressured and lobbied by the Special Interest groups and the City to legislatively “kill” the Agreement. As a point to ponder, although from different parties,these two leaders work tirelessly to enhance economic development for CT. A reasonable person may rightly ask, ” If the Runway expansion is so great for business, the Senate President and the Senate Minority They stood strong with their constituents.

posted by: ElmCityAle on July 10, 2019 3:20pm There was better service years ago without longer runways. I sometimes took direct flights to D.C. and the start and end of the business day, which seemed popular and were usually crowded. It would be nice to attract an airline that would offer that service again; if it was close to competitive pricing to flying from BDL (including parking fees), it would win local business. If it takes longer runways, so be it.

posted by: missthenighthawks on July 10, 2019 3:42pm This is good start towards reinventing NH. We also need a convention/sports arena to draw business and entertainment events, and we need to move forward with the plans for Long Wharf. This could help spur all that on. Yes, the old-timers will keep up with the NIMBY complaints, but we need to move forward to make NH a more modern, lively, and accessible city. The newer apartments are beginning to enliven downtown and set the stage for more, taxpaying businesses.

Its disappointing that Len Fasano, a Republican, would not see the value of this decision. Even Ned Lamont sees the value of making NH a transportation hub, as he has stated on numerous occasions. “Take the train to the plane” may come true for NH.

posted by: sccampion on July 10, 2019 3:46pm Campion, continued, The two leaders would have supported it. Senator Looney and Senator Fasano are two highly experienced, smart, and savvy politicians. In their leadership roles, they could have easily punted their support of their constituents and allowed the Special Interest groups’ proposed legislation to pass. Senator Looney and Senator Fasano did not. Contrast that form of leadership with Mayor Harp’s- circumventing a dialogue with New Haven residents, whose tax dollars have supported both on the municipal and state level, “tore up” the MoA without consulting with our closest neighbor East Haven, and dispatching her employees to conduct a Bogus presentation of fake Community Benefits to try to get the 2018 Runway Bill passed. In November, the residents will be the judges of Madam Mayor’s leadership intentions and results.

For the coalition, this advocacy campaign has always been a David and Goliath struggle. Our tools in making the case has been evidence-based facts and research on the environment & flooding, public health issues, traffic density, the future of regional airports, and the fiscal analysis and costs relative to Tweed. The Runway Supporters have used wishful thinking, unsubstantiated facts about city and regional economic gains, and their old, worn-out anthem “If we build the Runway, the airplanes will come.”

I hold no grievance against the Supporters. But I do think that they underestimate their own business or academic success by citing Tweed Airport as a primary factor for their present and future.

I want to send my deepest appreciation to Senator Martin Looney, my Ward’s Senator, and Senator Fasano for your Courage and Support in blocking the Special Interests’ demands over the rights of hard-working taxpaying residents who seek to protect and preserve their families’ and neighbors’ quality of life. Susan Campion

posted by: steve on July 10, 2019 6:20pm @sccampion, “If we build the Runway, the airplanes will come.” you made a true statement even you meant otherwise. Look at the success American airlines is having, starting with 50 seat planes, then 65 seat planes and soon all flights will be on 76 seat planes. To say no market exists for the area is nonsense. Allegiant stands ready to begin non-stop flights to Florida,a very popular destination for the locals. As far as facts, one of your close friends has made some error ridden statements in trying to vilify Tweed such as the water chute at the end of the runway, saying Tweed causes childhood respiratory illnesses and other made up statements trying to incite fear. By that type of reasoning, the area around Bradley airport must be a killing zone. Tweed will never become a large operation with flights coming and going every few minutes, but with 2-3 more airlines to several hub cities, it will be well supported by the local population and be the airport of choice for the New Haven area. For years Tweed had its hands tied and lost service by United and Delta, all due to the limited runway.

To move near an existing airport then complain about its operations and quest for more service shows a self centered attitude. Its not all about the few, but the many who benefit from the airport and the many more who stand to benefit from more flights. Tweed has been there since 1931, how many area residents can say that? Tweed will always have commercial airline service and small regional airports like Tweed are doing very well which shatters another myth by Tweed haters. I am sure Delta and United are checking American’s numbers and will want Travelers don’t want to spend hours on crowded highways when Tweed is close to a large part of the states population. Learn to live with the airport or else take the other option, move to an area far away from any airport. Again, Tweed preceded you.

posted by: wendy1 on July 11, 2019 9:09pm I am against enlarging Tweed or spending any $$ on Tweed.

posted by: steve on July 11, 2019 10:34pm @wendy1 “I am against enlarging Tweed or spending any $$ on Tweed.” That leaves you and a few who feel that way but 77,000 in 2018 felt differently, it’s the number of those who used the airline flights that Tweed provides. You don’t want to improve a public facility that thousands depend on and that many more will when the runway is upgraded? The current flights are having full and near full loads and the planes are being replaced with bigger ones and I expect another major airline to commit to Tweed with service to more hub city airports increasing the options for local travelers. The more passengers that use Tweed means more income and less dependence on local funding. It’s called reaching critical mass where sustained growth can be maintained by volume. All I hear is just no to any improvement at the airport and when there is more said, it usually is made up ills that the airport will supposedly cause such as global warming, childhood illnesses, choking pollution and other science fiction notions. If 2-3 more airlines came to Tweed, it’s total number of flights would be a small fraction of the number of flights at Bradley and no outbreak of calamity has occurred there.

The metro New Haven market could support more service than Tweed provides now and it would reduce the number of flyers going out of state airports and Bradley is almost up in Massachusetts.

Airports generate business, jobs, attract new firms and keep the millions spent by the traveling public in the local area, not Hartford or New York. It also makes sense timewise by not spending hours on the road to far away airports and risk traffic jams causing missed flights. Asking someone to drop you off or pick you up is not a hardship to nearby Tweed airport but it can be an imposition for someone to do so at an airport some distance away. Tweed just makes sense for local travelers.

By the way, the FAA will provide 90% of the funds for the project and those funds come from fees on airline tickets.

posted by: CityYankee on July 12, 2019 6:39am @ steve—-

1. it is a stretch to decide that 77,000 people want to see Tweed expand. Just because they use the airport; does not mean they are willing to pay the tab for expansion. FAA, ticket tax—it all comes out of our pockets in the end and CT taxpayers are feeling the pinches from every side.

2. the airport does pollute. Increased traffic and planes cause more air & sound pollution, increased danger of crashes, damage to the wetlands. You can say you don’t care but don’t deny the facts.

3. 50 minutes on 91 to Bradley is not a hardship. There is also overnight parking available.

4. The NHI article on the Coliseum hole notes that we have no convention center for anyone to come to; even if they wanted to come here. A larger airport won’t change that.

5. Airlines leave Tweed because there is NO BUSINESS HERE FOR THEM. They have come and gone repeatedly over the years after extracting concessions from us.

6. Tweed LOSES MONEY ALL THE TIME. NH funds it. Let Yale buy it , buy all the surrounding houses out, and build a mega-airport for themselves and overcharge others to fly. It will then go on the tax rolls and make money for whoever is left.

posted by: westville man on July 12, 2019 8:35am City Yankee- so which is it? Increased traffic and pollution from all that traffic or airlines failing because no one comes? Let’s pave the darn runway and see what happens. Back in the mid 90’s we had 3-4 airlines with a number of flights and cities to choose from. After 9-11 all of that ended. Let’s get back to that modest use. Ps- Steve, I saw our Atty General at the Yardgoat game last night doing photo ops. I told him NOT to appeal the court decision and leave New Haven alone. I expressed that sentiment to others in his office that were there as well.

posted by: steve on July 12, 2019 9:08am @CityYankee, 1. 77,000 use Tweed because its closer and saves them time, so yes they are willing to pay a small amount for that convenience. 2. The amount of flights that Tweed could support will not cause a large increase in pollution, that comes from I-95 and I-91 and the newer planes that serve Tweed emit far less exhaust than the older planes. 3. For many its more than 50 minutes and chances of Hartford traffic jams adds to the time and the chance of missing a flight. 4. Meetings are held at hotels and at college auditoriums, civic centers are mostly for sporting events and traveling shows. 5. This is your most foolish statement, ” NO BUSINESS HERE FOR THEM”. How do you explain the success American airlines is having at Tweed? Eastern left due to having limits on seats that they could sell, the 132 seat 727 was only allowed to sell 60 seats, both Delta and United left because weight restrictions due to the limited runway causing aircraft to depart with empty seats causing flights to lose money. United stayed for almost 5 years but they could no longer sustain losses. The newer regional jets were not around back in the 90’s but these in most cases are the airliners that can work at Tweed and these are quietest and cleaner airliners in the air today. Just making brash, loud statements with out facts are just hot air comments and using caps does not establish facts. Airlines want to come here, Allegiant has already said they will offer service to Florida when the runway is upgraded and when the runway project is completed, you can be sure both Delta and United will be back. A recent study showed New Haven is one of the most underserved cities for air travel in the country. 6. More flights mean more income for Tweed, its simple math. So please CityYankee, do some homework before posting meaningless, rambling comments. Tweed won the court case, American airlines is doing great, so accept the fact that Tweed will move ahead and that will benefit many.

posted by: CityYankee on July 12, 2019 10:28am @ westville man—- it is both. Tweed causes noise and air pollution and pollution from cars coming and going there. A larger Tweed means more of this. A smaller Tweed is not a non-polluting Tweed. @steve—CAPS are for emphasis. I agree with you that 91 & 95 cause a lot of pollution. Enlargin Tweed will add to that and we have high enough asthma rates already. Comments are not rambling. They are a list of reasons. You are ignoring my main point that Tweed is a loser for the City of NH. Please state here WHEN Tweed ever made money for the city and document your source. Anything that does not make money is a loser of money. Airlines have come and gone an Tweed still loses money. I am not happy to see my tax dollars thrown down the tubes for a few who like the idea of a nearby airport. Most of us do not need or want an airport; esp. one that loses money.

posted by: anonymous on July 12, 2019 12:21pm “50 minutes on 91 to Bradley is not a hardship.” If you are a retiree and travel to Florida a couple times a year, then fine. For businesses, that is not a viable option. Furthermore, the drive can be closer to 2 hours than 50 minutes at certain times of day/year. Compare that with being in Boston where the airport is about 5-10 minutes from downtown Cambridge or Boston, DC where it’s literally across the river, or most other cities throughout the nation where it’s a similar 10-15 minutes and you’ll see how New Haven is at a serious disadvantage. Until there are a couple more flights, which is easy just by paving the existing runway area (which has no impact on wetland), there are no business in their right mind that would schedule meetings, events, or conferences in New Haven that they have to fly people in for. This is why existing companies in New Haven are holding so many of their board meetings and events in Boston, New York, and even Hartford. All of the available research on economic development and airports pretty much proves that allowing even a few more flights to Tweed would create thousands of jobs in the area over time, easily. Or you could look at it this way; without the additional flights, this part of CT will continue to slowly shed jobs. Fixing that dynamic could double property values on the East Shore, even the houses right by the airport, in a matter of a few years.

posted by: stuffedsoul In recent years, airplane crashes have killed about a thousand people annually, whereas plane emissions kill about ten thousand people each year, researchers say. Earlier studies had assumed that people were harmed only by the emissions from planes while taking off and landing. The new research is the first to give a comprehensive estimate of the number of premature deaths from all airline emissions.“We found that unregulated emissions from [planes flying] above 3,000 feet [914 meters] were responsible for most of the deaths,” said study leader Steven Barrett, an aeronautical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101005-planes-pollution-deaths-science-environment —I have to wonder whether increasing the airport’s capacity is really good for everyone involved, or whether it’s just good for a few. Aren’t there better ways to increase economic development in New Haven? Isn’t it a fact that increasing Tweed’s capacity threatens to hurt the environment and public health by increasing terrible airplane and jet engine emissions? That National Geographic article sounds pretty bad about airplane emissions. And I still haven’t really been given a good idea of what all the meetings are going to be about and where they’re going to take place? Even Davos is 150km away from the closest airport in Zurich. And what sort of Davos would New Haven be anyway? Who wants to come here for meetings so badly and what sort of meetings are these? Maybe we should propose much larger strip clubs and have politicos meet there at those clubs. That sounds like a successful plan, to me. It’s been very successful elsewhere, at least in the short term! And think of all the jobs!!

posted by: missthenighthawks on July 12, 2019 1:34pm Airports, train stations, highways, museums, and the like never make money. That’s not the point. The point is they allow a city to draw tourists and businesses who spend money and pay taxes. Bradley isn’t considered a moneymaker, and yet they’re expanding it to draw more people to Hartford and Springfield and allow area businesses to thrive.

With the disappointing article on the coliseum lot being allowed to build without the previous commitment to add convention space, NH will just become a larger bedroom city. zzzzzzzzz. We’ll just have to travel to Hartford, the casinos, Mystic, NYC, the BigE, etc. to see real entertainment, sporting events, and hold our conventions.

posted by: anonymous on July 12, 2019 2:17pm “real entertainment, sporting events, and hold our conventions.” I don’t care about those things. I just want the city’s many small businesses to be able to hold their small board meetings and events here, so they don’t fail. Think of all the days (and yes, it adds up to days) that those moms and dads are wasting, away from their children, burning fuel just to get to other airports every year. It’s no wonder that they are moving their businesses and employees out of town to cities that have more than one flight within a 90 minute rush-hour drive (which, in fact, describes the situation in really every other city in America). It is also worth noting that the retirees, East Shore homeowners, Fasano, and Looney are all older white people, or at least the vast majority of them. Meanwhile, the city’s workers, especially parents with young kids and young business owners, and the city’s leadership that supports Tweed, are mostly not white. There is overwhelming evidence that white people in America take sides on issues related to development, such as this one, at best without regard for and at worst in direct antagonism towards minorities. Just read the above comments and see for yourself how some of the East Shore is phrasing its attacks in dehumanizing and belittling language (e.g., “Madame Mayor” versus “Senator Looney”). Anyone who spends time in places like the East Shore is quite familiar with this racist, conspiracy-theory dynamic as well as the rabid desires to pull up the ladders of opportunity for young people (who are mostly not white). See also https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/trump_voters/, the Hamden fence, the rhetoric about eliminating food stamps and health care for working families, and the birthers.

posted by: steve on July 12, 2019 2:33pm @CityYankee “Please state here WHEN Tweed ever made money for the city and document your source.” As was already stated, most airports don’t make money the same with train stations. For years Tweed has had to live with a limited runway and in turn could not secure new service. While 737’s have used Tweed in the past, they could not depart with full or near full loads and airlines need 80% of seats filled and higher to make flights profitable. Southwest surveyed Tweed in the past and the same issue came up, the runway ended those talks. How else can it be explained but since the 70’s, the runway has not changed and airlines will not commit to an airport that will hinder its operations and fast forward to the present. You keep saying Tweed never made money and yet you ignore the one reason why airlines have not come to Tweed, it’s the runway and nothing else. Is it possible that Hartford has a market for air travel and New Haven does not? Not so, New Haven has more to offer and it’s called the gateway to New England. A large market for air travel exists in the local area and American airlines has proved that beyond a doubt. With more service the airport could be less dependent on local funding and the number of flights would not cause the level of pollution to rise dramatically as a few have said. Also less cars going to Bradley on I-91 would reduce overall statewide pollution. Having 2-3 more airlines at Tweed will not change the complexion of the area as the new flights would be spread over the course of the day. Tweed will never be a Laguardia, Newark, Bradley and not even a White Plains, but with some new service it can flourish.

posted by: 1644 on July 12, 2019 3:14pm stuffed: Are you seriously suggesting people stop flying because it pollutes? And what of buses, cars & trains? They also pollute. As, of course, do computers, both generating heat and consuming electricity. I sure hope you don’t exhale, because that CO2 is contributing to global warming! The reality is that expanding service at Tweed will REDUCE pollution by reducing driving and increasing mass transit use. Commercial air is mass transit, and airports are stops in the mass transit. The closer the stop, the less driving people have to do to access the mass transit. For example, Tweed is five minutes from my house, BDL more like 2 hours. If I fly from Tweed, my car is polluting the air for nearly four hours less than if I go from BDL. More service at Tweed means LESS traffic, less need to expand highways, etc.

posted by: 1644 on July 12, 2019 3:29pm Stuffed: Regarding the types of meetings, they would build on the eds & meds economy. My wife teaches continuing medical education seminars across the country, but cannot host one here because New Haven is nearly impossible to get to unless you live on the Northeast Corridor. A Yale surgeon might give a weekend course on a particular surgical technique, the Drama School high host something on the arts. I would expect attendance between 50-300 people a the types of conferences to be held here.

posted by: 1644 on July 12, 2019 6:13pm Anon: What racist about “Madam Mayor? If I am in a Supreme Court, I address the female justices as “Madam Justice”, or Madam Chief Justice”, as appropriate. When my town had a female moderator, I addressed her as “Madam Moderator”, or, if the chair of a committee was female, as “Madam Chairman”.