The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Board delayed its response to questions regarding the costs and timeline of the approved airport expansion on Tuesday, pointing to an ongoing legal battle with the town. Included in the letter were nine questions about the expected schedule, funding mechanisms and total cost of the federally approved expansion — which includes a new 75,000-square-foot terminal, a parking garage and surface parking on the East Haven side of the airport. The town representatives said they need the answers before approving the draft “Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan,” as the estimated scope and cost of the expansion keeps changing. But at the Tuesday meeting, the board — including the East Haven members — unanimously voted to instead refer the questions to its legal counsel, delaying the airport’s response. Over the last six months, Rafter, Avports and the FAA have made adjustments to the five-year plan, updating cost projections and funding mechanisms as they clarified the details of the expansion. According to a recent draft of the capital plan, the work in East Haven and extension of the existing runway is estimated to total about $165 million. In the Feb. 14 letter, East Haven board members asked for the final cost of the expansion, the cost-share between the FAA and Avports, an update on a noise mitigation program and the expected construction schedule. The members also asked about the expansion’s future if there was a change in ownership of the airport operator.
Tweed Airport Board Delays Addressing Expansion Questions, Citing Legal Concerns