WASHINGTON — The government gave the green light Tuesday to a new system designed to prevent collisions on airport runways.

        The new technology, called the Airport Movement Area Safety System, uses existing airport radar to warn controllers of potential collisions.

        The system has been tested at the San Francisco and Detroit airports, and is to be added to 31 other major airports between July 2001 and November 2002. Installation at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is scheduled for next May.

        “This new tool provides passengers an extra margin of safety on the runway,” Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey said.

        The National Transportation Safety Board has said the system doesn't go far enough. The agency wants the FAA to develop technology that warns pilots when someone is on a runway.

        The FAA's announcement comes at a time when the number of airplanes, vehicles and people erroneously entering runways is on the increase. The number of runway incursions grew from 230 in 1994 to 431 in 2000. There have been 130 accidents during the first four months of 2001, compared with 118 during the same period in 2000.

Convention center expansion delayed
Spending plan ups fees, ends rate cuts
Worthy goal faces historic obstacles
High court rejects Commandment case
Tillery establishes black PAC
CROWLEY: Grip on power easily loosened
RADEL: A true taste
Judge says seating deal will get OK
Proposed rules for ice cream trucks may be revised
That's $34K, plus tip?
Butler grand jury gets murder case
Center to appeal funding cutoff
Driver indicted in fatal truck collision
Ex-teacher in court on sex charge
Four injured in I-275 crash
Ft. Thomas considers school plans
Identity theft growing at alarming rate in Ky.
Kites give lesson in science
McConnell, newspaper quarrel
Murder suspect called volatile
Murgatroyd raises cash for '02 vote
Porn company buys Senate site
Rec center plans on hold
Ribbons support racial healing
Runway incidents targeted
Study shows working students' performance in school lagging
Tobacco policy expands
Students learn how tough pollution solutions are
YMCA plans three new Tristate facilities
Kentucky News Briefs
Tristate A.M. Report