CITY Community voices concern at McKinney National Airport meeting on expansion
KNOWING AIRCRAFT NOISE Preliminary results of an environmental impact study for the proposed airport expansion project provided insight on projected noise levels.
2026 outlooks
Projected noise contours: no action
BY SHELBIE HAMILTON
Projected noise contours: terminal expansion
departures, which estimated 20 ights per day in 2026 and 22 ights per day in 2031, to create the model, McAnally said. However, city o cials have his- torically referenced the medium-de- mand gure, which estimates about 12 ights per day at the beginning of operations. “We want to just prepare for all contingencies,” McAnally said. Project representatives also estimate the planes will approach from the north and take o toward the south about 70% of the time, another factor that was included in the noise analysis. Those factors and more were all used to create a noise contour map. The map represents the concentra- tion of sound created at the airport both if the project proceeds as well as if it does not. In maps for noise projections in both 2026 and 2031, a majority of sound created at levels that would require noise mitigation per the Federal Aviation Administration was contained within airport property. Tra c projections The tra c analysis focused on FM 546, a road that runs just south of the airport and would facilitate most terminal tra c. The city’s policy is that all planned roadways are designed to function at a D level of service or higher, according to a grading system from A, the high- est level of service with free- owing tra c and no delays, to F, represent- ing the lowest level of service with considerable tra c and delays. The tra c projections estimate the level of service for the roadway would remain at an A level at the proposed 2026 opening date. In 2031, the roadway would recede to a B level of service, indicating light to moderate tra c but still no delays. Tra c projections for this roadway do not take the planned Spur 399 project into account, because the proposed terminal, if approved, would be constructed and operational before Spur 399 is completed, according to the presentation. Spur 399 will run to the east and south of the airport, connecting US 380 and US 75.
Residents of McKinney and surrounding communities shared concerns about the environmental e ects of the proposed McKinney National Airport expansion at a March 23 open house meeting. The meeting, held in east McKin- ney at Old Settler’s Recreation Center, featured presentations from project engineers and city leaders. The meet- ing focused on preliminary results from the environmental assessment being conducted for the proposed expansion, including insight on tra c, noise, and impacts to rivers and wetlands. The environmental assessment process is determined by the National Environmental Policy Act and includes evaluating both the pro- posed action for the project as well as the alternative if there was no action. Environmental e ects The presentation included a visualization of water resources surrounding the project site. The environmental study area is all contained within airport property already owned by the city. There are 100-year ood plains to the north and south of the subject property as well as streams and wetland areas. The site has no ponds or wetlands in the study area, according to the presentation. The east end of the site does have a stream from a fork of the Trinity River. “We’re trying to actually protect that stream,” said Mitchell McAnally, an engineer and North Texas aviation leader with engineering rm Garver. “We’re trying to actually avoid that tree grove altogether to avoid that and minimize that impact.” Noise mitigation The noise analysis uses a model that shows the average amount of noise created over a yearlong period represented as one 24-hour day. The analysis also includes an additional penalty added to sounds created during nighttime hours from 10 p.m.- 6:59 a.m. The noise forecast used the “very high” demand for average daily
65 decibels 70 decibels 75 decibels
VD.
5
724
MCKINNEY NATIONAL AIRPORT
546
546
N
Tra c projections from the preliminary environmental assessment of the airport expansion estimate a high of 1,840 cars traveling in one direction on FM 546 during peak hours. The analysis applied a 2% growth rate to tra c counts based on peak hour tra c volume from 2021. FM 546 TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS
2021 2026 2031
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Westbound a.m. tra c
Westbound p.m. tra c
Eastbound a.m. tra c
Eastbound p.m. tra c
SOURCE: CITY OF MCKINNEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Resident Reactions McKinney resident Billy Simmons spoke about his concerns for not having airline commitments and a nalized environmental study prior to the May bond election. “I just think we’re moving too quickly,” Simmons said. “We don’t have enough of the information to push the bond.” Other residents expressed concerns for e ects on neighboring cities, the impact to wildlife in the area, how this expansion will a ect the development plans for McKinney and more.
Going forward Another open house was held on April 19 for community feedback. Fol- lowing the next open house meeting, the FAA and the Texas Department of Transportation are expected to review the results in the summer. A formal public hearing period will be held later this year, and a nal environmental decision is expected before the end of the year, according to the presentation.
To learn more about the proposed expansion, visit
www. y-mckinney.com. Feedback and questions can be submitted to city o cials online.
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MCKINNEY EDITION • APRIL 2023
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