The County Board of Supervisors today commissioned a $767,000, 15-month study to determine whether a 1,100 foot extension can be added to the McClellan-Palomar airport runway.
The prospect of lengthening the runway has stirred the interest of North County residents and airport tenants for years, as extending the runway could potentially entice additional corporations and businesses to use the airport. By accommodating different types of planes and creating additional opportunities for commuters and corporate jet-setters, an extension could bolster the already significant economic benefits of airport.
“This is all about creating jobs and increasing business in North County” said Chairman Bill Horn. “It is time we find out what the true potential of the Palomar Airport is.”
It is also believed that extending the airport runway would offer greater safety for pilots during take-off and landing, and reduce noise for nearby residents.
The idea for the study was brought to the Board of Supervisors in June by Chairman Horn, after he met with several airport tenants, members of the Palomar Airport Advisory Committee, and elected officials from North County about the airport’s future.
The study will focus on the challenges and risks of building a runway over a landfill. In order to save taxpayer dollars, the project will be dropped and the study terminated in the event that an extension would be unsafe to build or be too expensive.
The runway extension study is expected to take about 15 months to complete. It will cost $767,000 dollars, which will be paid for through the County’s Airport Enterprise Fund. This means that no General Fund dollars will be used to finance the study.
