DAYTON, Ohio — A $1.3 billion expansion plan for Dayton International Airport that officials had hoped to begin as early as 2003 has been delayed.

        The first phase of the 20-year plan would extend the shorter of the airport's two parallel runways by 4,800 feet. To do that, the airport would have to acquire 360 acres of land beyond the current airport boundary and relocate parts of U.S. 40 and other roads.

        Dayton's application for state funds for the related road construction is unlikely to make the state's funding list because of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission's recommendation not to fund the work.

        Also, a noise study that was expected to be finished next month has been expanded and isn't likely to be done before spring, said Dave Mason, the airport's engineering director and project manager for the master plan update.

        He also said the FAA is still working on the environmental impact statement that's required before the airfield expansion can begin and that could take up to 30 months.

        “The process has been longer than we had hoped,” Mr. Mason said.

        The delays are welcomed by expansion opponents, mostly residents of small communities surrounding the airport who ob ject to the increased noise they say would result from expansion.

        “People are happy that it's slowing down and giving people a chance to talk. I'd like to see us open a discussion in the region on all forms of transportation,” said Carol McKeever, a Tipp City Council member.

        Last month, Tipp City and Monroe Township filed a lawsuit against Dayton, alleging the city and its airport are not enforcing or asking the FAA to enforce an order for the control tower to direct airplanes in a way that minimizes noise over their communities.

        Dayton has not responded to the lawsuit, but airport Director Blair Conrad said last week that noise complaints were rare until anti-expansion groups began organizing opposition.

        Business leaders are concerned that the airport won't be able to keep up with the needs of CNF Inc., a subsidiary of Emery Worldwide, that has its main freight hub at the airport.

        Emery's growing air freight business is driving the expansion plans, which are based on forecasts that airport capacity will not be sufficient in a few years.

        An updated study says Emery's nighttime operations will exceed airfield capacity in 2003, and its daytime operations will do so in 2006.

        Emery supports Dayton's expansion plans, but it won't endorse the city's forecasts.

        “We have said from the beginning that all these plans are based on numbers that are subject to change,” Emery spokesman Rocco Sacci said.

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