I'd like to give everyone a heads-up about a big “runway rehabilitation” project being planned for summer 2019 at Port Townsend's Jefferson County International Airport 0S9. Last October we had a big meeting between the local airport community and the Port of Port Townsend (airport owner/operator), Reid-Middleton Engineers (the Port's planning/engineering consultant), WS-DOT Aviation, FAA (via telephone), and AOPA's regional representative Warren Hendrickson.
The original idea had been for a total reconstruction of the runway, but at that meeting it sounded like maybe just a simple asphalt overlay project would be enough. 3 to 4 weeks duration, with the parallel taxiway being used for flight operations during the runway shutdown.
Well, we had another meeting this last saturday, and it's not looking good. Reid-Middleton has completed approximately 30% of their planning as of January. The 28 year old runway looks fine, nobody here thinks there's anything at all wrong with it, but apparently some “issues” with the existing sub-structure were discovered during on-site inspections. So now they're back to planning a full-on, tear-it-all-up-and-start-over runway reconstruction.
Extensive discussions at the first meeting about using the parallel taxiway for flight operations during the project apparently went in one of R-M's ears and right out the other, because their preliminary plans do not have any provision for doing so. You can go to the Port's runway rehab project webpage http://portofpt.com/air-services/jcia-r ... ilitation/ and click on the “Crown surface 30% submittal” link. http://portofpt.com/air-services/jcia-r ... ilitation/
The second page of that document “construction safety and phasing plan” sheet G1.1, tells the whole story. Truck & equipment will be driving through the entire airport, and aircraft will be blocked off by both signage & barricades from using taixways etc including the parallel taxiway. This is in spite of easy highway access to the runway area being available from both State Route 19 on the east and SR20 on the west.
This is far from a done deal as far as us local pilots are concerned, but we could use some help in pressuring the Port to change this aspect of the project. I'd like to ask all of you to contact the Port of PT's director of planning, Eric Toews, [email protected] to voice your displeasure about this unnecessary planned airport closure. Please also copy in the Port's Executive Director Ms. Sam Gibboney [email protected] .
They care a lot more about the economic impact to the airport businesses and to the community in general than about "a bunch of rich guys not being able to enjoy their expensive toys”. So if any of you like to fly over here in the summertime to eat at the Spruce Goose Café but won't be able to during the airport closure – tell him! Ditto flying over to visit our Aero Museum, or have some work done at one of the two maintenance shops on the airport -- tell him! Ditto flying over here to attend any of the local events: Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, Olympic Music Festival, Wooden Boat Festival-- tell him! Ditto flying in to enjoying any other aspects of our area: sailing, a whale-watching cruise, shopping in the quaint little shops in Port Townsend, staying at a Victorian B&B, whatever -- tell him!
We'd sure appreciate any help you can provide in putting pressure on the Port to get plans back on track for continued flight operations during the runway project.

~Eric Taylor

Oops.

That's the berries, and especially if everybody is happy with just an overlay. I see there is a strip at Discovery Bay----is that an option for you?

Actually, everyone here was happy with no project at all.
Even just the overlay was tears & years premature, and so IMHO a colossal waste of money.
The little strip (Olympic) at Djsckvery Bag is only about 3 miles norgh of my house, but unfortunately not an option. Diamond Point about 6 miles wet of Jefferson is my best bet if they do actually shut us down.
Im hoping we can bring the powers that be to their senses, with enough public outcry I think we can do it.