The state Bond
Commission approved $7 million for upgrades to southwestern Connecticut's only
airport - Sikorsky Airport.
The airport sits
in Stratford, but Bridgeport actually owns it.
Airport manager
Michelle Muoio says with the money, she's hoping commercial passenger service can once
again take off after stopping in the 90s.
The money from the state will be
used to repave a second runway - which is critical for any new service.
"This
money is an absolutely wonderful opportunity. We're so appreciative," says
Muoio.
The excitement
isn't taking off with everyone, though - some neighbors in Stratford still have noise concerns.
In the Lordship
neighborhood, they're also worried about traffic.
"There's
accidents on that road all the time, so that really poses a problem. But at the
same time, if I could catch a flight from there, rather than going to JFK, that
would also be pretty nice, too," says Lauren Borghini, of
Stratford.
Gov. Ned Lamont
says Sikorsky can grow and be a good neighbor.
"I think
Sikorsky has the opportunity to be a really important regional airport. I think
you see some distribution facilities there. We've got to work with the
neighbors. I want to make sure we get this right," he says.
Next week,
Sikorsky adds charter flights to New York City on Tailwind Air -
but the airport faces stiff competition.
Tweed Airport in
New Haven is adding new flights, and Breeze
Airways, which was planning a move to Sikorsky, has since landed at Bradley
Airport.
Muoio says she
thinks there's room for everyone.
"I don't
think it has to be an all-or-nothing approach. We each have our individual
markets," she says.
UConn is
currently conducting a study on Sikorsky's
future. There are no plans to extend either of the runways there.