After a brief reprieve last week when a judge issued a temporary restraining order halting the shortening of the runway at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (KSMO), the project is once again moving forward. On October 16, the preliminary injunction was denied and the restraining order removed by the court. NBAA and AOPA filed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit that the temporary restraining order originated from, emphasizing the importance of SMO’s use as a designated reliever airport and the need to consider local as well as federal law when it comes to airport modifications.
Work is now expected to begin on the runway within the next week. The runway will be closed Monday through Friday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 am during construction. The end result will be a reduction in runway length from 4,973 feet to 3,500 feet. Though there are still several legal challenges still pending, there is now nothing to stop the runway from being shortened before they are resolved.
Read our article on the SMO temporary restraining order or learn more at NBAA and AOPA.
