Frequent flight delays at Logan Airport due to wind may be a problem of the past as Gov. Paul Cellucci and Lt. Gov. Jane Swift announced their support of the Runway 14/32 plan that was officially filed at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce yesterday.
The new runway plan, prepared by the Massachusetts Port Authority, will eliminate 90 percent of the flight delays caused by Boston’s northwest wind because of its strategic location and the fact that it will be one-way, according to the report submitted yesterday.
Cellucci expressed his hope that the State Environmental Affairs Agency and the Federal Aviation Association would approve the new runway proposal by the end of the summer.
Both Cellucci and Swift said they believe the many benefits of a new runway at Logan make the project worth pushing toward completion by the end of 2003.
“There is no reason why we cannot decrease wind related delays,” Cellucci said.
“This is a specific problem with a specific solution,” Swift added. “The problem of northwest wind delays is best addressed by a new runway.”
The CEO of MassPort, Virginia Buckingham, also spoke on behalf of the Runway 14/32 project and thanked Cellucci and Swift for their continued support. Buckingham also described the six-year, meticulous planning period that went into the runway plan, including 16 board meetings that lasted at least four hours each.
“Some people have suggested we rushed this project,” Buckingham said. “But we have answered every issue that has been raised.”
Not only will the new one-way runway reduce flight delays, but it will also decrease the pollution caused by the emissions of circling aircrafts waiting to land safely at Logan, according to MassPort literature.
“This plan provides meaningful environmental benefits,” Buckingham said.
“A world class community deserves a world class airport,” Cellucci said. “We need to save businesses some money caused by delays.”
Cellucci was quick to note that while the addition of the new runway at Logan would help make for a more efficient airport, Logan still needs the help of regional airports because there is such a high demand for air travel in New England.
He highlighted the importance of people throughout New England having access to regional airports in cities including Manchester and Worcester. He applauded the fact that 10 years ago 80 percent of air passengers in New England went through Logan, whereas today that number has shrunk to just 20 percent.
“The bottom line is … the demand for air travel [throughout greater New England] cannot be met by Logan,” Cellucci said. “But there is no reason not to decrease the wind related delays at Logan.”
“The demand for air travel is coming mostly from people from Massachusetts, people we represent. We have taken concrete steps to spread the burden of air travel throughout New England.”
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