Blue Skies for Busy Airfield

Home to a vintage Constellation, Greenwood Lake Airport is a general aviation reliever airfield. WEST MILFORD Greenwood Lake Airport has landed a federal grant to upgrade lighting and increase its parking area for aircrafts.

The hilltop airstrip is getting $261,350 towards expanding the parking apron and renovating runway lighting. The improvements are part of the ongoing modernization at the state-owned airport.

RENOVATIONS: The tarmac has been repaved and some improvements were made to lighting in recent years. This grant will be used for the design work needed for the expanded parking area and new lighting, said airport manager Tim Wagner. “It’s money that is definitely needed, but we won’t know if it will cover all the costs until the design work is complete.” Future plans may include a new hangar.

WHAT’S NEW? Improvements include a new restaurant now serving breakfast, dinner and lunch at the 150-acre site located on Airport Road, off Marshall Hill Road. A satellite office of Enterprise Rental Car has also opened up in the facility’s lobby and office building.

BACKGROUND: After the Department of Transportation bought the airport from a private owner for $1.8 million in 1999, it spent about $555,000 in renovations. About 90 planes park there, up from about 50 in 2003. With a 3,740-foot runway, the facility has about 20,000 flights annually. Thirteen people have died in five fatal accidents there since 1962.

OTHER AIRPORTS: The grant is part of more than $1 million in federal money going to four North Jersey small airports. Teterboro will receive $45,000 to ensure clear runways, Essex County Airport is getting $570,000 to repair the parking apron and ensure clear runways, and Somerset Airport is getting $150,000 to repair deteriorated portions of the parking area.

Barbara Williams

(c) 2008 Record, The; Bergen County, N.J.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.