Erie International Airport-Master Plan – Final Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field, is a publicly-owned, public-use, primary
commercial service facility, that serves the aviation needs of Erie County, the Western
Region of Pennsylvania, Western New York State, and Northeast Ohio. The Erie Municipal
Airport Authority, the owners and operators of Erie International Airport (ERI), and the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated an Airport Master Plan for ERI in order to
determine the potential of the airport and to identify specific opportunities for improving its
airport facilities. An inventory of the existing facilities, preparation of aviation demand
forecasts, an airfield capacity analysis, and identification of facility requirements through the
year 2020 are included in Chapters 1 through 5 of this document. Chapter 6 considers
alternatives for development and final chapters of this report, incorporating the previous
work, make recommendations for the 20-year planning period and present the Airport Layout
Plan and a financial plan for development at Erie International Airport.
The Airport Layout Plan (ALP) illustrates the overall development plan for Erie International
Airport, Tom Ridge Field, and presents the various airport improvement projects in three
phases. Recommended projects for Phase 1, or the short-term development, are the
following:
Design and Construct Safety Area Improvements
Renovation of Existing Terminal Building
Construct Rental Car Return & Maintenance Facility (4,000 SF)
Expand Rental Car Parking (33 Spaces)
Powell Avenue Relocation/Closure
Land Acquisition, Easement Acquisition and Relocation Assistance
Avigation Easement Acquisition for Obstruction Removal
On- and Off-Airport Obstruction Removal
Design and Construct Drainage Improvements
Design and Construct 1,920-Foot Extension and Parallel Taxiway to Runway 24
Runway 24 Lighting System Improvements (CAT II ALS; Runway Centerline;