Regional Affairs

AOPA works to protect Delaware airport during road expansion

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking to expand U.S. Route 301 into a four-lane limited-access highway and create a bypass to State Route 1, but one of the five proposed routes would take the road across Runway 17/35 at Summit Airport in Middletown. AOPA Eastern Regional Representative Bill Leavens met with the airport manager and attended a public meeting with the DOT to discuss the highway plans. Summit, a privately owned, public-use airport, serves as a reliever for Philadelphia International Airport and is obligated to remain open because it has accepted state and federal funding. AOPA is reviewing the five proposed routes and will provide comments to the DOT. Members can read about the project and submit comments on the DOT's Web site.

June 30, 2005