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Aviation
Chester County’s principal commercial airport has reached capacity
It has been projected that by the year 2025 Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) will serve over 700,000 annual flights, which is well over its capacity. While minor capacity improvements can be made, the severe physical constraints of the site preclude major capacity improvements. Alternative locations and reliever opportunities are needed. At Harrisburg International Airport (HIA), a new rail passenger station is being planned to serve the Keystone Line, which runs from Harrisburg to Philadelphia stopping at stations in Chester County including Parkesburg Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton and Paoli. Other airports such as Lehigh Valley, Baltimore/Washington and possibly Newark, New Jersey provide alternatives and should continue to be utilized. Chester County currently has three “reliever” airports and two heliports that can support and complement PHL.
The growing emphasis of Philadelphia International Airport will continue to add to the traffic congestion on major routes such as I-76, I-95 and US 322. This in turn provides a need to continue to enhance marketing of public transit rail options. Chester County residents and businesses can use SEPTA’s R-5 line which will connect to SEPTA’s R-1 line at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The R-1 will then allow passengers to reach PHL terminals.
Airport capacity limitations and highway access problems enhance the need for regional planning. Chester County, its local governments and other agencies such as Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) must plan for the expansion of regional airports.
Loss of Reliever Airports
Relative to all transportation modes, air travel represents a smaller portion of passenger and goods movement. It is used to transport expensive, low-weight goods as well as to support critical community services such as emergency services and law enforcement. With the growing use of smaller corporate jets in America, Chester County airports may experience greater use serving corporate interests to avoid security delays and congestion at commercial airports.
Aviation and its many uses require facilities such as hangers to store the smaller jets and planes. To provide County residents with more flight options there is a need for airports to extend their runways and provide greater services. To ensure the safety of the passengers and surrounding communities, airports must be able to coordinate and manage the growing number of flights while meeting stringent regulations. Chester County’s residents and airports will benefit from competition and overlapping service areas that provide multiple travel alternatives.
DVRPC’s regional aviation plan recommends maintaining the system of reliever airports as relief to the congested General Aviation and commercial airports. The loss of small reliever airports affects regional aviation operations and provides a situation where it becomes increasingly difficult to develop new aviation facilities as may be needed.
Impacts of Airports on adjacent land uses
Airports have an impact on the surrounding community. In 1985, every municipality with a public airport received notice of the Pennsylvania Airport Zoning Act passed by State legislature. While airports present an opportunity for economic development on adjacent properties, safety is a concern for aircraft operators as well as the neighboring land uses. Not all municipalities near airports have adopted overlay ordinances, as required by law, protecting airspace used by aircraft. DVRPC is currently developing a report that will address this issue in light of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision (4).
PennDOT’s “Airport Zoning Model Ordinance” describes a number of zones surrounding an airport that require attention. Building heights can interfere with the air space used as an airplane approaches a runway. Upon take-off there is a need for air space that will allow the airplane to transition from the ground. In addition to their physical presence, airplanes produce a considerable amount of noise. Noise conflicts and other nuisance issues arise as adjacent development encroaches upon existing airports. Aviation uses on private property (i.e. ultra-light aircraft and helicopters) present unusual zoning issues as well.
(4) Chanceford Aviation, et al, Apt. v. Chanceford Twp.
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System-wide | Aviation | Bicycling | Bridges | Freight | Highway | Parking | Pedestrian | Transit