DRIGGS, Idaho — The City of Driggs is planning a runway shift project at the Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport to increase safety, reduce aircraft-related noise and ensure that the runway protection zones (RPZ) fall 100 percent on city-owned property.
The runway will shift approximately 2,000 feet to the northeast but will still maintain the current length of 7,300 feet. New pavement will be added to the northeast end while 2,000 feet from the southwest end will be removed.
The shift is aimed at moving the RPZs onto city-owned property which was acquired in 2022. According to the airport, “an RPZ is a triangle-shaped zone that limits height and land use designed by the FAA to protect planes and people in the event of an aircraft overrunning the length of the runway.”
Because the RPZs will be on city-owned land, zoning limitations will no longer exist on private property outside the airport to the southwest of the runway.
“At 6200 feet in elevation, engines are challenged to perform the same as they would at sea level. The density altitude is much lower at this elevation and requires two to three times as much runway length to get to the same required level of performance.”
City of Driggs
The runway shift project also aims to reduce aircraft-related noise over the downtown area because the shift will increase the glideslope angle, or the aircraft’s rate of descent, from 3% to 3.5%. This means a landing aircraft will be three times higher, resulting in a 10 times reduction in sound energy. For aircrafts taking off, sound energy will be reduced by six times.
According to the airport, 90 percent of funding is provided by the FAA. Grants from the Idaho Department of Transportation, hangar lease fees, fuel sales, landing fees and car rental fees will cover the remaining 10 percent of expenses.
“Disruption of airport operation will be kept to a minimum during the project construction phase,” says the airport.
The project is currently in the design and engineering phase. Construction bids are slated to be due in June, and depending on funding, construction could begin in the fall of 2023 with the preparation of the ground to the northeast. In the spring of 2024, the building and removal of the pavement would occur with an estimated completion by the end of 2024.
A public meeting will be held at the Airport in the Teton Aviation lobby tomorrow, April 29, from 10-11 a.m. Mayor August Christensen, City Airport Manager Meredith Fox and JVIATION engineer Jeffrey Hogan will conduct the community conversation. More information is available here.
