Federal Government Funds New $21 Million Airport for Alaska Town With 46 Residents

Federal Government Funds New $21 Million Airport for Alaska Town With 46 Residents

Link

An interior Alaska community with just 46 residents is in line for a new $21 million airport.

The state received a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to build the airport at Takotna 17 miles west of McGrath and 300 miles west of Fairbanks.

The amount spent is not really an option under Federal Aviation Administration rules, said Roger Maggard, the state Department of Transportation's airport development manager.

"The fact of it is, in order to meet all the dimensional requirements that the FAA requires for funding an airport, they do become quite expensive," Maggard s

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 26-6-2009 by KSPigpen]

[edit on 26-6-2009 by KSPigpen]

You folks might have seen this...I know not to trust the story BEHIND the story with MSM...I just thought it really odd that they would need such an expensive addition out in the middle of nowhere. 21 Million dollars and all they can say about it is that it will have lights? That's either a lot of 'lights' or a few really, really good ones.

I just can't help but smell something really fishy in this one.


Link

Sorry...had to edit twice to fix the link.
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 26-6-2009 by KSPigpen]

What would be interesting to know is the proposed length of the runway, thats's always a dead give away if there is anything out of the ordinary.

www.foxnews.com...

Can you fix link in your op.

reply to post by KSPigpen


Maybe this is at a good point for other aircraft to land and refuel for the next leg of their journey. Just a thought.

reply to post by KSPigpen


If you haven't been in the bush in Alaska you've really no idea of just how hard it is to travel there. Airports and the airplanes they service are sometimes the only way to get any where. 21 million dollars spent to be able to get in and out is quite literally a matter of life and death sometimes.

One life saved, it's money well spent...

I don't doubt the potential to save lives. It is beautiful and dangerous country. My questioning was on the amount spent. I know if it saves one life it's worth it....but honestly....21 million?

At 3,300 feet long and 75 feet wide, the new airport in Takotna will be almost twice the size of the old one, Maggard said. The current airport is 1,700 feet long and 45 feet wide.

Link to ADN article

This one just struck me as really odd.

I suppose in the words of Obi Wan, 'These are not the droids you're looking for, move along.'

But man, 21 million?

Maybe it's just a buddy of Jack Murtha, he got some millions for his "personal" airport that services about the same amount of people during the off season. Alaska might get a little boost during the fishing guide season. Anyone else feel that this may not be the best time to be investing money anywhere. I wish the president would put a freeze on spending until the national debt is re payed. Am I the only one who feels we're just digging ourselves a deeper and deeper hole that we won't be able to get out of?

ok? 21 million doesnt seem like a whole lot for an airport. ESPECIALLY one built in alaska. can you imagine all the problems they'll have to face? permafrost being one of the biggest. then getting the machinery and hiring everyone.

also, as stated above, this airport may be the only (convenient) way to get supplies and things. plus more than just that one town can be serviced. supplies can be flown in to that airport and brought to nearby towns via dog sled.

on a side note, the airport will probably boost the town's population and revenue.

reply to post by KSPigpen


Given the conditions that are rife in Alaska during most of the year, the bigger the runway the better. Remember this, as well, these runways are not controlled in any way.

Having flown into some of these places, those little runways are scarey as all get out...

21 million really isn't all that much money, when alls said and done.

Yeah, I suppose it would be a rather expensive venture, just putting in a runway and some lights.

Just kidding. I know that there are a lot of requirements when dealing with the FAA....they'll have to put in fire rescue stuff, a tower...and then the state will still have to come up with their 5% to match the FAAs monies. I guess it's a pretty good deal for them.

I can't help it, you guys got me questioning everything.

Is it me or have a lot of airports, space ports and general facilities being put up where they're not really needed/don't make sense for stupidly high amounts of money? All while the world economy is crumbling. The hell is everyone thinking?

Why it is important how many people live in the town? Maybe it is important regional infrastructure - for tourists, industry and such. I think that there a lot of similarly dense populated places in Alaska without airport - so there must be an edge in building it there.
Maybe guys on ATS who live in Alaska/are familiar with the area could explain the decision better.

reply to post by AboveGeneric


An airport in the bush of Alaska, no matter where with few exceptions, is almost a requirement. I'm perfectly serious when I say an airfield, no matter how rough, and for 21 million dollars ya ain't gettin' JFK Int'l., is a matter of life and death, or can be...

...and certainly cheaper by several orders of magnitude than a road.

What's wrong with the McGrath Airport? Other than it being built on a potential Oxbow river, it's close to 5000 feet long and is relatively close to Takotna. Most planes that take-off and land in that area are your smaller Bush planes. Ski's in the winter, floats or Bush tires in the Summer. Alaska Airlines does subcontract with Penn Air for cargo flights into and out of McGrath so all of your medical emergencies are handled from there. So inmo the only reason to relocate or build another is because the McGrath airport is sinking. Don't know this for a fact but that's all I can come up with.
I've lived in AK for 13 years now and the one project that makes more sense to me is the "Bridge to Nowhere" in Ketchikan. Those folks have to board a ferry to get to the Airport and there is pontential with a bridge for more land usage for housing and infrastructrue. Ketchikan like most S.E communities has a limited amount of land that can be utilized due to the Pacific ocean and the Tongass National forest surrounding them.

Last time I heard, Alaska had more small planes per capita than any other state.

Roads are few, mountains are many, permafrost is widespread, and unless you plan on staying close to home, you're definitely going to fly.

Nome is isolated. Bethel is isolated. Kotzebue is isolated.

And it is one vast, vast country.

$21M is not really much money nowadays.

Come to visit, and I'll show you in a few minutes a ton of $6-8M dollar houses.

I hate government spending worse than anyone, but I really can't fault this expenditure.

maybe they plant to actually build an Army base there including an airport.