CONCORD, Mass. – The Connecticut Department of Transportation and the city of Bridgeport are seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the United States in conjunction with making safety improvements to the Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, Conn.
The work is proposed in tidal wetlands and areas below the high tide line elevation adjacent to Route 113 and within the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford (state CTDOT project number 15-336).
The work involves the construction of runway safety area (RSA) improvements at Runway 6-24 which will require relocation of approximately 2,150 linear feet of state Route 113 to facilitate these safety improvements. The RSA improvements consist of construction of an engineered material arresting system (EMAS) to provide a proper RSA. The RSA improvement project addresses a congressional mandate requiring completion of the airport safety improvements by December 2015.
The purpose of the proposed RSA improvements is to allow the airport to continue to operate in a safe and efficient manner, to meet FAA design criteria, and to achieve its airside goals. The project is needed due to the deficient runway conditions that exist at the airport.
The Route 113 road relocation component includes associated drainage improvements for storm water management and treatment and addresses existing flooding problems on Route 113 in the project area. The RSA improvements at Runway 6-24 and associated road relocation will impact about 1.72 acres (0.28 acre temporary, 1.44 acres permanent) of tidal wetland vegetation areas. Additional work includes the rehabilitation of the pavement on Runway 6-24 and associated maintenance activities.
The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U. S. waters, including wetlands; and with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the United States. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work, can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
Public comments on this proposed work (file # NAE-2013-1089) should be forwarded no later than Feb. 28, 2014 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Susan Lee), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Susan Lee at 978-318-8494 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: susan.k.lee@usace.army.mil.