Bridgeport’s municipally-owned airport is located in Stratford, a potentially hearty revenue stream for both communities. With commercial passenger flights dormant for decades, and currently limited to business and charter planes, officials are trying to unite on a plan that’s a for fit for both with the mighty Fairfield County Gold Coast so close within reach.
Noise pollution and the length of airport runways were problematic in the Lordship neighborhood for it to become a massive economic engine, but modern aviation technology has addressed some of those concerns. Stratford’s new Democratic Mayor David Chess has been in touch with the Ganim administration about a mutually beneficial plan to solidify air carrier action, with one of the runways poised for a $7 million, state-funded upgrade
More on this from Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
When it came to local economic development, new Mayor David Chess was highly critical of predecessor Laura Hoydick, accusing her of a lack of ambition and vision.
But one such important topic never emerged as a key issue during their months-long campaign: the future of Stratford-based but Bridgeport-owned Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
Hoydick’s administration made an unsuccessful counteroffer to its neighbor to buy the property over three years ago amid Bridgeport’s ultimately failed negotiations to sell to the Connecticut Airport Authority. The CAA is based upstate in Windsor Locks and runs Bradley International and a handful of other airports.
Chess is not ruling out continuing Hoydick’s approach, but willing to weigh other means of maximizing Sikorsky airport’s business as long as they benefit his town.
“It is a priority to do something there,” the Democrat said Monday. “But it doesn’t have to be done in any one way. As long as our interests are met.”
Full story here
