Associated Press Published

Charleston Airport Officials Propose Extending Runway

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Charleston airport officials have proposed a $290 million emergency infrastructure project for rebuilding and extending Yeager Airport’s runway following a 2015 landslide at the safety-overrun area.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the proposal calls for lengthening the runway from about 6,800 feet to 8,000 feet, and adding 1,000-foot safety zones at each end.

Officials presented the plan last week to Nick Casey, Gov. Jim Justice’s chief of staff, in hopes of having the governor submit it for inclusion on the federal government’s High Priority Infrastructure Projects list. Projects on the list receive an expedited environmental review.

Almost all of the added runway and safety zone space would come from county-owned Coonskin Park.

No one was injured in the March 2015 landslide, which took out a church and an unoccupied house.