HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) -- Experts warn that without a longer airport runway, Hilton Head Island could lose most commercial air service at the South Carolina resort within 20 years.
The Island Packet reports consultants are suggesting the runway be extended by more than 1,000 feet to 5,400 feet. The extension is needed to handle a new generation of commercial and private planes.
Mayor Tom Peeples doesn't want the runway extended that far.
Peeples says the recommended extension would push the airport beyond its current boundaries, cutting off a neighborhood road and wiping out a church near the end of the current runway.
Peeples says it would also mean years in court trying to buy the land for the extension.
Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com
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