A done deal? Airport expansion to be completed by 2015
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Today June 29, 2012, Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Hon. Dr. Kedrick Pickering has announced that the final construction of the runway extension, which is expected to be completed by December of 2015, will be extended approximately 2000 feet eastward into the sea and approximately 500 feet towards the west.
During this morning’s House of Assembly sitting, Dr. Pickering, who has spearheaded meetings on the airport expansion recently, and had disclosed possible options for expansion, has now committed to a more concrete decision.
During meetings held in March 2012 with residents, the Government had indicated it was leaning towards option six, which will cost about $38M. With this option, the runway would have been extended to some 7,000 feet from 4,000 plus feet, and accommodate AB 390, 320 and the Embrea 190. It was also expected to reduce the environmental impact, which would save the salt pond and beaches in the area, reduce crosswinds, and accommodate code C and D aircrafts. However, the disadvantages include higher weather minimums- meaning jets would have to use a height of about 1,290 feet and the runway must be visual, as well as the circling approach. The concerns include future widening will have an environmental impact on Trellis Bay and the salt ponds.
And with Winston Wilson hired as the Project Manager for the expansion project, Dr. Pickering disclosed that members of the BVI Airports Authority Board have begun the task of reviewing the Impact Assessment study that was submitted by Kraus Manning at the end of May 2012, as well as, the Technical Report submitted by the International Airlines Transport Association (IATA).
He further disclosed that the Airports Authority has commissioned Davidson Ltd., a company in the United Kingdom, to produce a report on feasibility of conducting an approach by high performance jet aircraft to the runway. The company was also charged and has delivered approach charts for the said approach. Davidson, in their report, has recommended an aeronautical study prior to any night operation by high performance jets at the T. B. Lettsome International Airport. This report will be submitted to Air Safety Support International (ASSI) for final approval, Hon. Pickering told members of the HOA.
He added that Government has also implemented a two-tier process to guide their selection in which companies are given contracts for the development.
He noted that in step one of this two tier process, they will be sending out, as early as next week Monday, an “Expression of Interest” document. “In this pre-qualification stage, interested and appropriate companies will be invited to respond to a set of prequalification criteria. This stage is expected to be completed by August 2012.”
Meanwhile, the second stage of the process will be the “Request for Proposal” commonly referred to as the RFP stage which is scheduled for October 2012. “In this stage, the companies selected in stage one will now be required to submit a final detailed proposal for the planning, design, financing, and construction of the project. In this final stage the Government will select the company or consortium of companies best suited to move ahead with the project. This is expected to take place during October and December 2012 and then we begin the final construction of the runway extension which is expected to be completed by December of 2015.”
Reassurances of negative impact on Trellis Bay
Dr. Pickering reassured that during the expansion, nothing will be done to negatively impact Trellis Bay.
In addition to the elevated embankment, he said they are also considering another engineering solution which involves the construction of an elevated platform on columns. “This option, Madam Speaker, will not interfere with the wave action that is necessary to flush the Bay. Therefore, the fear among its users that it would eventually become a “dead bay” can be debunked.”
He noted that the technology, even though new to the Caribbean region, has already been used elsewhere in the world in the construction of either runways, taxiways or aprons structures with one such airport being the London City Airport which was completed in September 2003.
“Encouraging” meetings with Jet Blue
The Deputy Premier also disclosed that dialogues have begun with airlines interested in flying from the mainland US directly to the VI once the airport runway is extended.
“The Managing Director, Mr. Denniston Fraser and myself were in New York this week where we met with executives of Jet Blue Airlines on June 25, 2012. This meeting was very encouraging and we are expected to meet with other interested carriers in the coming months.”
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