Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

I say that Rep. Flaherty and some of the equally nearsighted and shallow minded "good people" of Warwick refuse to acknowledge that the construction of a new runway will not only create a great number of new jobs when they are so greatly needed at this time, but also that the new runway will allow the addition of the kinds of flights that will reverse the downward traffic trend of the past few years and actually help to INCREASE passenger traffic at T. F. Green in the years to come. If Flaherty and his suburban little ostriches would only get their self-serving heads out of the sand, maybe we could get somewhere on this thing.

Runway expansion at Green is long overdue. With it we'll be able to have non-stop flights to the west coast making us more competitive with Logan.
Come one, let's get going!

I want to know why Mr. Murphy believes 200 people are preventing the expanding of TF Green.
Does Mr. Murphy know the FAA REQUIRES RIAC to
have these studies? There is nothing that can be done to MOVE this studies along. Also,more information is added on that needs to be studied.
Mr Murphy is not well informed. He sounds like a complete idiot.

I can understand Rep. Flaherty feeling slighted. However, this is a Rhode Island issue, not just a Warwick issue. If the economy is to recover, what is good for the entire state is going to need to take precedence over what a community feels. Kudos to Speaker Murphy on seeing the bigger picture! Let's start building runway.

To Rep. Flaherty: Thank You for speaking up for Warwick and common sense.

To Speaker Murphy: Note that passenger traffic is down, and consider that rising fuel prices will dictate a need for smaller more efficient aircraft which will not need longer runways. Please think more than a few years and a few paychecks into the future.

Wow....I've followed General Assembly politics closely for years, and this is the first time I can ever recall Flaherty speaking out on the airport issue despite his district being directly affected by it. For years, he was go along to get along, and now this....

Consult the Warwick delegation for what? Their traditional airport stance of "bleed it or impede it" has been the same for years.

Perhaps Mr. Murphy should come before the "naysayers" to learn the valid health, safety, fiscal, economic development and other reasons why so many citizens remain steadfast in their concerns about an airport operating and attempting to expand in the heart of a densely residential land use area. The reasonable and researched concerns remain unaddressed by our assembly, which is ultimately responsible. As a "leader", Mr. Murphy should be obligated to engage in proper research before proposing potentially harmful (and costly) actions. In my 9 years of citizen representation, I have never seen Mr. Murphy engage in any discussion with these people he so quickly dismissed in his speech before the business community. This lacks balance. This is not the time for a "damn the torpedos, full steam ahead!" mentality. We got into this fiscal mess with just this approach to "economic development".

I would suggest that Mr. Flaherty set up a public meeting with our reps and the public and Mr. Murphy, so that we might listen to each other.

Thank you Rep Flaherty for your help. I attended the House of Representatives "non-hearing" on the legislation behind the speaker's comments this past Thursday. I was told that the hearing was postponed, but the speaker and Richard Licht, the attorney for the airport, showed up anyway. When I stepped into the room everybody wondered what was happening. This non-hearing hearing did not take place. Had I not been there, who knows what would have happened.

this is just another opportunity for Murphy to pump up his own ego and tell people at the time what they want to hear. He flaps his lips and grandstands to his audience for his own personal gain at every turn. What is the word I'm looking for, oh, "PUFFERY". He likes to make himself look good at the cost of others expense.
The airport expansion is a hot topic, and is one that should include the people of Warwick as well as representatives from all of RI. Not just Murphy's say so.

Expand the runway in both directions, and put the necessary portions of Airport Road and Main Ave underground. Several airports around the country are arranged in such a way. Problem solved.

I find it funny that Rep. Flaherty cites traffic declines from 2005-2008 as a reason NOT to expand the airport. Something obviously needs to be done to increase traffic and thus increase economic activity in the Station District there.