Laserfiche WebLink
inairport-related noise. While exact environmental consequences associated <br />with the construction of a new airport cannot be quantified until an <br />environmental assessment is completed, the potential exists for negative <br />impacts. Alternatives involving the construction of a new general aviation <br />airport is Seazch Area "A" have a high probability of having some impact on <br />the surrounding environs. Once prospective sites have been identified, the <br />environmental impacts can be quantified more easily. Therefore, Alternatives <br />5, 6, 7, and 8 received rankings of 2. <br />A summary of rankings for this criterion is as follows: <br />1 5 <br />2 5 <br />3 4 <br />4 4 <br />5 2 <br />6 2 <br />7 2 <br />8 2 <br />4. User Convenience <br />'This evaluation criterion was used to rate alternatives on whether the <br />existing and planned airports aze located neaz potential users. Also, access to <br />the individual airports was considered. This criterion received a moderately <br />important weighting factor of 3. <br />As discussed in the geographic coverage section of this chapter, most <br />of the seven-county metropolitan azea is within a 30-minute driving time of <br />at least one reliever airport, indicating that the existing system provides <br />adequate coverage. Three of the airports that provide coverage for the <br />western portion of the metropolitan azea (AnokaCounty-Blaine, Flying Cloud, <br />and Crystal), however, approach or surpass 80 percent of their operational <br />capaaty during the planning period. Therefore, this rapidly developing azea <br />to the north and west of Minneapolis-St. Paul will not have sufficient service. <br />The addition of a new general aviation airport in Seazch Area "A" would <br />provide an additional facility with surplus capacity for this area. This <br />additional facility alleviates the need for system users to travel to other <br />airports beyond the reliever service azeas to avoid excessive operational delay. <br />Including Gateway North Industrial in the system and/or adding a pazallel <br />runway at Anoka County-Blaine would enhance the system in the northern <br />portion of the metropolitan azea; however, both of these improvements would <br />leave some azeas to the west underserved. Anew general aviation airport in <br />Search Area "A" will provide additional capaaty for much of the western <br />portion (and some of the northern portion) of the metropolitan azea. In <br />Tip-54 <br />