The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Connecticut’s appeal of a ruling that removed limits to the length of Tweed-New Haven Airport’s runway.
Tweed-New Haven’s runway is one of the shortest commercial runways in the country. A 2009 state law says it can’t be longer than 5,600 feet. New Haven lawmakers at the time said they were worried about neighbors’ quality of life.
The airport says that limit has kept them from attracting more commercial airlines, since it’s too short for many commercial planes to use. They want to extend it to about 7,200 feet. The airport currently offers daily flights to Philadelphia and weekly flights to Charlotte, North Carolina.
State Attorney General William Tong said he respects the court’s decision.
AvPORTS CEO Jorge Roberts issued the following statement:
“This decision is a positive development for Connecticut’s economy. With the legal question settled, AvPORTS is confident that a plan for Tweed can be structured in a way that addresses the concerns of different community stakeholders and maximizes the financial benefit to both the city and the state.”
