St Paul Downtown Airport in trouble

[Montblack]

St Paul's Downtown Holman Field is in trouble.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSTP

This is Step One...

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/14328974.htm

The flood wall would prevent the seasonal Mississippi River floods from
shutting down the airport, for up to six months, while the soggy soil firms
back up - according to the head of the Twin Cities Reliever Airports. Small,
lighter planes can use it after the water recedes, but larger planes must
wait.

The Reliever Airport guy threw out a number of $100 million in yearly
economic development that the airport supports, generates, etc, etc. Without
the flood wall, further (business) investment in the airport will suffer -
3M bases their corporate fleet out of Holman, for one example. Air National
Guard wants to pull out of STP if the flooding sittuation isn't addressed.
Many jobs lost their.

Local (800 lb Gorilla) afternoon drive-time radio show took up the fight for
the airport today. AM1500 - Joe Soucheray 2pm - 5:30pm ....Radio station's
call sign? KSTP, same as the downtown airport.


Montblackcloud-kind-of-day
More bad news for St Paul: The Ford plant will (probably) be closing in '08.

[Newps]

Montblack wrote:

> The flood wall would prevent the seasonal Mississippi River floods from
> shutting down the airport, for up to six months, while the soggy soil firms
> back up - according to the head of the Twin Cities Reliever Airports.
> Small,
> lighter planes can use it after the water recedes, but larger planes must
> wait.

It doesn't flood seasonally, it rarely floods, but when it does it's
usually a doozy.



>
> Local (800 lb Gorilla) afternoon drive-time radio show took up the fight
> for
> the airport today. AM1500 - Joe Soucheray 2pm - 5:30pm ....Radio station's
> call sign? KSTP, same as the downtown airport.

Been listening to his show since day one. I wish the station would
start to podcast so I could catch more shows.

[Montblack]

("Newps" wrote)
> It doesn't flood seasonally, it rarely floods, but when it does it's
> usually a doozy.

How many times since 1993? I'm not certain of the answer. 1997 for sure.
2001?

Found it:
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/04/05/_stpaulairport/>
Flood info


> Been listening to his show since day one. I wish the station would start
> to podcast so I could catch more shows.

You and me, both.

I disagree (almost 100% opposite) with Joe on a number of points. Still, he
is (IMHO) the BEST at what he does. I usually agree with him more than not,
however. Find his book Waterline - it's a very good read. Agree/Disagree,
Garage Logic is uncommonly good radio.

http://www.am1500.com/garagelogic/

I went out with Rookie's Aunt?/Cousin (I think cousin) when I was in HS
(76-78). She was very good looking! Cute! Mmm ...Julie M. Our lockers were
alphabetically assigned so I got to be three down from her's for 5 years
(8th -12th grade).


Montblack

[Morgans]

"Montblack" > wrote

> St Paul's Downtown Holman Field is in trouble.
> http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSTP
>
> This is Step One...
>
> http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/14328974.htm

A good many years back, The Raleigh, NC construction industry was nearly in
the dumpster, because of a slow economy, and a lack of work for tradesmen.

A large sound barrier project was needed to line the major interstate
highways, and bids were looking like they were going to be too high.

A major contractor put in a bid to build the walls, one brick at a time, so
his masons could keep working, and he could keep his skilled workers from
moving away from the area. He put in a bid to build the walls, basically at
cost.

He got the job. Raleigh got the most attractive barriers that you could
imagine, compared to the precast concrete monsters popular elsewhere. Win,
win.

It sounds like an effort of this type is what is needed. I hope they come
up with it.
--
Jim in NC

[Montblack]

("Morgans" wrote)
>> St Paul's Downtown Holman Field is in trouble.
>> http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSTP
>>
>> This is Step One...
>>
>> http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/14328974.htm

> It sounds like an effort of this type is what is needed. I hope they come
> up with it.


MAC (Metropolitan Airport Commission) thought they HAD a win-win plan.

They pay for it, while the city of St Paul gets to have full use of an
important (national) business AND transportation asset - by limiting the on
site flood risk for current, and future, business ventures.

Concerns presented by the Mayor of St Paul and the City Council are
sleight-of-hand. FOLLOW THE MONEY!!


Montblack