New Haven Mayor Toni Harp wants to extend the runway at Tweed Airport to add more flights to more destinations. But residents who live near Tweed are worried about what expansion would mean for their quality of life.
Right now, Tweed’s runway is 5,600 feet due to a state law passed in 2009. The minimum length for a Boeing 737 is 6,000 feet.
Mayor Harp wants to change the law to increase the size of the runway by 1,000 feet, which she says will attract more carriers. Tweed currently services only five carriers.
Over four million people in the surrounding area live closer to Tweed than to any other airport, but half go to New York or New Jersey airports.
Some residents who live near Tweed say that extending the runway could hurt the Long Island Sound, and could lead to traffic and noise issues.
Harp says that a noise mitigation program, which the city spent $40,000 per house on, has worked for the homes closest to Tweed.
