ERIE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TOM RIDGE FIELD

MASTER PLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field, is a publicly-owned, public-use, primary commercial service facility, that serves the aviation needs of Erie County, the Western Region of Pennsylvania, Western New York State, and Northeast Ohio. The Erie Regional Airport Authority, the owners and operators of Erie International Airport (ERI), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated an Airport Master Plan for ERI in order to determine the potential of the airport and to identify specific opportunities for improving its airport facilities. An inventory of the existing facilities, preparation of aviation demand forecasts, an airfield capacity analysis, and identification of facility requirements through the year 2020 are included in Chapters 1 through 5 of this document. Chapter 6 considers alternatives for development and final chapters of this report, incorporating the previous work, make recommendations for the 20-year planning period and present the Airport Layout Plan and a financial plan for development at Erie International Airport. The Airport Layout Plan (ALP) illustrates the overall development plan for Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field, and presents the various airport improvement projects in three phases. Recommended projects for Phase 1, or the short-term development, are the following:

• Design and Construct Safety Area Improvements

• Renovation of Existing Terminal Building

• Construct Rental Car Return & Maintenance Facility (4,000 SF)

• Expand Rental Car Parking (33 Spaces)

• Powell Avenue Relocation/Closure

• Land Acquisition, Easement Acquisition and Relocation Assistance

• Avigation Easement Acquisition for Obstruction Removal

• On- and Off-Airport Obstruction Removal

• Design and Construct Drainage Improvements

• Design and Construct 1,920-Foot Extension and Parallel Taxiway to Runway 24

• Runway 24 Lighting System Improvements (CAT II ALS; Runway Centerline;

Touchdown Zone; and Electrical Building)

• Runway Extension Perimeter Fencing

• Design and Construct Relocated Parallel Taxiway A for Runway 24

• Design and Construct Access Taxiway to Runway 6 Threshold

• Design and Construct Air Traffic Control Tower

• Demolition of Fenestra Building

• Design and Construct Air Cargo Operations Facility

• Environmental Assessment for 5-Year CIP

• Design and Construct General Aviation Apron Expansion (15,000 SY)

The intermediate-range development, Phase 2, encompasses the period 2006-2010 and includes the following airside and landside improvements:

• Terminal Building Expansion (Phase 1)

• Design and Construct Terminal Apron Expansion (7,500 SY)

• Design and Construct Airport Maintenance/ARFF Facility

• Design and Construct International Trade Center

Erie International Airport-Master Plan – Final Report

• Construct Two 10-Bay T-Hangars

• Redevelopment of Penn Brass Facility

• Design and Construct Shorten/Rehabilitation of Runway 2-20 (2,703’ x 60’)

• Design and Construct Noise Berm

The long-range development, Phase 3, the period from 2011-2020. In this phase, additional airside and landside facilities are planned to be in place to complete the needs defined in this plan.

• Terminal Building Expansion (Phase 2)

• Design and Construct Terminal Auto Parking (200 Spaces)

• Design and Construct Terminal Apron Expansion (7,500 SY)

• General Aviation Area Development: T-Hangars, Apron, Access Taxiways

An Obstruction Evaluation of FAR Part 77 Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace was completed in January 2002 and is included as an appendix to this report. Additional appendices provide an Approach Visibility Minimums Analysis (with recommendations for enhancing visibility minimums at the airport), an analysis to identify the appropriate design aircraft for airport facilities, and an analysis of runway length requirements. Also included in appendices are the results of a business and leisure traveler’s survey that was conducted in April 2000, and an extract from the 1995 Terminal Area Master Plan that identifies terminal building and terminal area facility requirements.

Erie International Airport-Master Plan – Final Report