Jet noise increase to rattle homes

With needed repairs to Tampa International Airport's most heavily used west side runway, more takeoffs and landings will be over homes instead of water.

By JEAN HELLER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 7, 2003

TAMPA -- As the weather warms up and winter-weary residents start opening their windows, people living around Tampa International Airport might prefer to crank up the air conditioning instead.

For 54 days, probably starting late in March, TIA officials will close the airport's most heavily used runway for repairs. Planes will use a shorter runway that requires them to fly over more homes, resulting in significantly more engine noise for residents.

The runway being repaired, an 11,000-foot strip of concrete, designated as 36L/18R, runs along Eisenhower Boulevard on the west side of the airport property. It bears the brunt of air traffic because its takeoff and landing patterns keep aircraft out over the water rather than rattling homes in South Tampa, Town 'N Country and Carrollwood. The shorter north-south runway, designated 36R/18L, aligns planes over thousands of homes.

It is the first time since 1996 that airport officials have been forced to close their favored runway, but they say they have no choice -- and they are offering the contractor a bonus of $5,000 a day, up to a maximum of $50,000 for each day that is shaved off the 54.

"We know people are going to complain about the noise, but we have to do this work," said Louis Miller, executive director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. "As we get closer to the work date, we'll do outreach things and some advertising to explain to people what's going to happen and why."

The project will involve replacement of cracked concrete slabs and new runway lighting.

The shorter north-south runway, on the east side of the airport property, already is closed for similar repairs. Work on the longer runway won't begin until its partner is reopened.

While it will take only 12 days to replace the bad concrete, it will take three weeks for the surface to harden enough to accommodate aircraft. The rest of the closure will accommodate related work. The project will cost $7.3-million.

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