Tweed New Haven Airport holds public info meeting on airport expansion
Construction on a new terminal at Tweed New Haven Airport could begin late this year, which could mean more flight options for travelers, but a state agency needs to approve it first.
East Haven and New Haven neighbors living around the airport still have many concerns.
A plane flew by while we spoke to Lori Foster outside her home, which borders airport property. She said the noise from the plane is so loud that it shakes her house.
“It has disrupted our livelihood,” she said. “It’s horrible.”
Lisa Ventura McHugh lives across the street from the airport entrance.
“It really is a nightmare,” she said. “The planes, they take off and come in at all hours of the night. The traffic is unbearable.”
Andrew King, vice president of external affairs for Avports, the company that manages Tweed New Haven Airport, is hopeful that the noise and traffic will improve once the terminal is moved.
“The plan calls to move the terminal and the parking spaces and all of the operations that go with turning on a jet engine, away from the residence,” he said. “And that will reduce a lot of the noise that neighbors currently hear.”
The airport’s expansion also includes a longer runway, expanded from 5,000 ft to 6,575 ft, so larger aircraft can land. A longer runway could unlock additional destinations, especially those on the West Coast, according to airport officials.
Foster said the extended runway would be closer to her backyard and her neighbors.
“My question is, what is the safety zone for someone in a residential area?” she asked.
Neighbors are also worried about the impacts of the airport’s expansion on the wetlands and wildlife.
“We’re an environmental justice community, and I feel like we’re in the sacrifice zone,” Kate Bennett from East Haven said.
The airport’s expansion plan requires approval from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). An application submitted to DEEP was returned to the airport with feedback.
King said his team is working with DEEP to make some changes to the application. The two groups held an online public information session on Wednesday night to inform neighbors about where they are in the process.
King said in-person public meetings are expected this year so neighbors can engage in dialogue with airport and DEEP representatives.
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