Fifth runway construction begins

Dignitaries this week broke ground for the first phase of a fifth runway which proponents say will help ease traffic delays at Hartsfield International Airport.

Meanwhile, south side neighborhood groups and some local officials continue to oppose the city of Atlanta's plan to extend the runway. As designed and approved by federal agencies, the runway will be able to handle only commuter aircraft. Airport officials hope to extend it to 6,000 feet, enough to handle commercial planes.

Ground breaking Tuesday was for the trunk drainage and sewers project, a major component of the $5.4 billion overall project.

"After years of planning and coordinating with various local and state agencies, we can now enter the next phase of fifth runway construction," said Atlanta Mayor Bill Cambell. The runway is scheduled for completion in 2005.

"With nearly 220,000 travelers passing through Hartsfield each day, the new runway will allow us to accommodate the growing demand for air travel," Campbell said.

Scheduled for completion in the spring of 2002, the drainage and sewers project includes the relocation of an existing College Park sanitary sewer line around the footprint of the runway.

"Federal Aviation Administration aircraft and passenger delay data has shown that for the fourth consecutive year, Hartsfield is the most delay-impacted airport in the nation," said Ben DeCosta, Atlanta's aviation general manager. "Because so many aircraft and passengers use Hartsfield, the fifth runway will help the FAA and airlines reduce delay in other parts of the country.

"The implementation of this project, as well as the entire runway, has required close coordination with the FAA, Georgia Department of Transportation, Clayton County, and the city of College Park, as well as other state and federal agencies. This project will set the foundation for other fifth runway-related projects."

The project is a joint venture between primary contractors Thalle Construction Company Inc., based in New York, and The Artis Group, headquartered in Georgia. Subcontractors include Sunbelt Structures (Georgia), ANATEK (Georgia), and R. R. Cassidy (Louisiana). The ground breaking ceremony and press conference took place at the former Hartsfield Colonnade Office Park on Riverdale Road.

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