STEVE STEINER
Managing Editor
The status of a proposed taxiway reconfiguration dominated the April 13 Airport Commission meeting. According to Lowcountry Regional Airport engineer Andy Busbee, the FAA wants the grant issued in 2022 moved from the inactive list. It means that no money from the grant has been “drawn down” (in other words, used) since there has no activity done.
“That’s a little bit of a concern for the FAA, they want to remove it from inactive list,” said Busbee. When pressed whether a minimal amount of activity might get the grant off the inactive list, it seemed possible. “That sort of helps us fly in under the radar from that grant sitting there, if you will.”
Busbee has been in frequent conversation with the FAA, which will be sending planners to meet with the commission and talking about its Fiscal Year 2024 discretionary list and what projects it will fund.
“If you remember, we’re trying to accelerate, trying to get them to bring forward the runway reconstruction rehab project,” said Busbee. That project, which is separate from the taxiway reconfiguration, is to rejuvenate Runway 17/35, the main runway. He said the feedback from conversations with the FAA have been positive. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll be able to go down that road.”
It would, he added, help solve the issue of this and this taxiway grant. Hopefully, a better picture will emerge.
Returning specifically to the taxiway reconfiguration, Busbee reminded commissioners that he has not had any further conversation with the FAA about the design itself, other than it gave a grant to pay for the design.
The tentative design Busbee showed onscreen met with concerns from two of the pilots present. They didn’t believe a problem existed where the two taxiways crossed the main runway; these crossings are termed “hotspots.”
According to Todd Givens, the first of the two pilots/flight instructors who spoke, the Army Corp of Engineers laid out the airport in order to get aircraft off the main runways as quick as possible, and that design has always been successful. He decried the notion of the “hotspots.” In all the years the airport has been in operation, there has never been an incident.
Jeff Griggs, the other pilot/flight instructor who spoke, was more specific. Standing before the satellite screen projection, he demonstrated what it would involve getting onto either of the two runways, which would be convoluted.
“So, if I understand correctly, the concern is aircraft … have to come out to this this little 45 [degree] turn left. Use this connector here to get out on the runway. And if they’re going way over here down to 17/35, they have to taxi down the runway for a distance. And then turn off to get to this taxiway,” he said.
ABOUT THE TAXIWAYS
Currently, there are two runways: 05/23 and 17/35. A third runway was closed years ago. Of the taxiways, one diagonally crosses at the juncture of 05/23 and 17/35. A pilot taking that taxiway can directly access either runway. However, the other taxiway crosses 05/23 at a further location, and if a pilot needs to get onto 17/35, then takes a taxiway that is longer and involves several turns.
The design Busbee proposed to commissioners April 13, would be to close the current ones and replace it with a single taxiway situated halfway between the two and directly onto 05/23. It would result in pilots having to take various routes in order to access 17/35.
