UPDATE: Mayor Maturo Still Opposed to Tweed Airport Expansion Plans

Update 4:30 p.m. A statement from East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. regarding plans by some to expand Tweed Airport.

“The City of New Haven, in conjunction with state and federal legislators, have begun more actively discussing the future of Tweed Airport. However, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. Moving ahead, I am committed to ensuring that our residents’ concerns and voices will be heard and that all of our questions will be answered. Until those questions are answered to the satisfaction of my constituents, I will continue to stand opposed to any expansion of Tweed and will continue to fight to protect the interests of our residents.”

Original post: Tweed New Haven Airport wants to pave over safety areas that are currently covered with grass in order to lengthen the runways, according to News 8 WTNH. They are doing this to attract more commercial flight services.

The airport currently has 5,600 feet of take-off and landing space currently and needs to expand that to 6,100 feet in order to receive commercial services, News 8 WTNH reported. This project is expected to benefit local businesses since several air carriers reportedly come to New Haven to use services and facilities of Yale University.

But, East Haven residents are infuriated over plans to pave over the green space, according to the New Haven Register. Over 100 people overcrowded the first community meeting held to discuss the issue.

Tweed had previously agreed that when the green space was put in they would never pave over it to expand the runways, the Register reported. Residents are angry and no longer trust Tweed because of their broken promise.

New Haven and Tweed had previously agreed not to pave over the green space, or the runway safety areas, when they reached a 2009 accord with East Haven, which had gotten East Haven to drop its objections and withdraw the litigation, the Register reported.

The pledge was later written into state legislation, which would have to be amended before the city could pave over the green space, according to the Register.

Read the full News 8 WTNH story here.

Read the full New Haven Register story here.