Mount Pleasant's airport could add 40 acres for runway
Mount Pleasant officials are hoping to add 40 acres of land to the city’s airport for its own “project runway.”
The five to 10-year plan includes paving the Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport’s crosswind runway and increasing it to 4,000 feet from 2,500 feet.
“The turf runway will intersect part of that 40 acres,” said airport manager John Benzinger. “Then there won’t be any problems with making a wider, long runway.”
Assessments for the site were approved last year, Director of Public Works Duane Ellis said, and should be completed in late spring or early summer.
The land was formerly occupied by the Central Michigan Inn but is now undeveloped, Benzinger said. Along with federal guidelines, he said the state’s departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources, and the Wildlife Assessment, have done studies on the parcel.
“Nobody has put any red flags (on it),” he said. “There is one portion of the 40 acres that has to have some more evaluation on it because there is a recess in the ground.”
After the assessment, Benzinger said, the city will further look into purchasing the land.
The purchase will be beneficial to the airport and its future plans, said Allen Bryan, Airport Advisory Board member and Mount Pleasant resident.
“It allows us to have a little more control over what happens long-term,” Bryan said.
By purchasing the undeveloped lot, he said, the airport can ensure no future development is made on the land.
The assessments cost is $80,000 and the 40 acres will cost $100,000, Ellis said. The assessments are covered by federal and state grants and 97.5 percent of the parcel would be paid by federal grants, he said.
Federal grants also would cover much of the project costs if approved, Benzinger said.
The airport’s long-term plan is to increase safety and utilization, Ellis said, including year-long crosswind turf operations.
Benzinger said the crosswind runway is used so airplanes may land and take off into the direction the wind is blowing.
The 1,500-foot increase will make it easier for planes to land, he said.
“So far, we’ve gotten the blessing from the Federal Aviation Administration and Lansing,” Benzinger said. “What we don’t have is just how much money is available.”
Once the land is purchased, Ellis said a three-phase project would start.
“We hope to purchase (the parcel,) grade it and get ready for future paving,” he said.
