BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GREEN TOWNSHIP -- The first public hearing on a proposed third north-south runway at the Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky International Airport brought a relatively small crowd and divided opinion Tuesday. Don Kamuf of Sayler Park said he'll be directly under the flight path of the new runway, but supports it anyway.
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"It means jobs. It means progress," he said. "And my children could possibly get a job over there."
His attitude drew a stunned look from Don Bemerer of Delhi Township, who already is bothered by the plane noise and fears more.
"They need a third (north-south) runway like they need a . . . hole in their head," he said.
About 60 people showed up during the first two hours of the three-hour forum at Oak Hills High School, where the public could air opinions and concerns to federal officials and consultants who will evaluate the airport's plan.
Another meeting is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. today at Conner Middle School in Hebron.
"I can't sleep"
Several people at the hearing blamed the low turnout on bitter feelings from the addition of the last north-south runway in 1990.
"The airport does what they want, regardless of what the people say," said Ruth Grubbs of Westwood. She retired three years ago, but said it hasn't been a vacation.
"I can't sleep late," she said. "I can't take naps during the day. I can't talk in the yard."
Others said those who already suffer from airport noise fear a new runway will make it worse. One of those, Kathy Loomis of Dent in Green Township, said her family is considering moving, in part, because of the airplanes overhead.
Kim Caudill said she can hear planes lining up to land over her North Bend home now.
"It'll just be more traffic," she said.
Frank Herold gets the noise at home and work. He lives in Green Township and owns Hebron Hardware on Petersburg Road (Ky. 20), a portion of which could be needed for the new runway. He and his wife, Margaret, plan to sell their home and move, but not because of the noise.
"A dead-end street and a hardware store just don't go together," he said.
Federal Aviation Administration official Peggy S. Kelley told the Herolds that the highway would have to be re-routed and could not be left as a dead-end street.
The FAA conducted the hearing for an environmental impact statement on construction projects in the airport's master plan.
The biggest among those are the third north-south runway and a 2,000 foot extension of the east-west runway for Asian flights and DHL Airways, estimated to cost $15 million to $20 million.
The 8,000-foot north-south runway would increase flight capacity and cut delays in flight landings. A study showed that in 1996 airport flights averaged an eight-minute delay. That would increase to 11 minutes in 2001 and 20 minutes by 2006 without improvements. Officials have estimated the new runway would cost $85 million and eventually displace 150-200 Kentucky homeowners living on or near the proposed site.
The plan also calls for possibly combining the two oldest terminals into one new one, with additional concourses.
Expansions by existing airlines are spurring growth at the airport.
In February, DHL announced it would build a hub here, retaining about 1,100 jobs and creating the prospect of an additional 700 jobs over the next 10 years.
Erlanger-based Comair also announced a 900-job, $25 million airport expansion.
