SALISBURY, Md. - An extension of the Salisbury-Wicomico Regional Airport runway has been in the plans for years now.
At Monday's Wicomico County Airport Commission meeting, officials updated progress on the extension.
According to the county, work is taking place to acquire land near the airport that would be needed to bring the airport up to current FAA standards.
County Airport Commission Chair Wayne Strausburg says the runway extension can't happen until that takes place.
"We have to acquire some land, we've had some trees that have had to come down. We had some telephone posts that had to come down," he said.
Currently, Piedmont Airlines offers commercial service to Charlotte and Philadelphia out of Salisbury.
But with a runway extension, planes could carry more fuel, meaning longer flights and to more places.
Dave Ryan with Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development says that's great news for the county's economy.
"It allows us to better compete for different types of aircraft, different types of companies coming in to the community. It allows for our current aircraft carrier, a more efficient operation," he said.
Strausburg says funding has been secured. Now the expansion is in the planning phase with expected completion in the next two years.
"We're looking really good on funding so we're getting into the technical aspects of the project right now," he said.
The Commission says the amount of passengers at Salisbury's Airport was down 21 percent in October compared to the year before.
Airport Commission officials credit that to the pilot shortage and do not see the passenger decline as a sign that Salisbury's airport itself is on the decline.
