The $32 million enlargement and rebuilding of Taxiway B South at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport will result in additional, but temporary, jet noise south of the airfield.
Work on the Taxiway B South is expected to last into the fall and result in a paved area that’s wider and safer for both military and civilian aircraft.
But it also means the 104th will make greater use of Runway 20 for departures during construction, the unit said Thursday. This will result in additional noise south of the airport.
The runway work, begun earlier this week with a groundbreaking, is the largest single infrastructure project in the 100-year history of Barnes, officials said. And it is the latest in about $63 million in public, military and private construction at the 1,200-acre airport.
Barnes is preparing for new F-35 fighter aircraft.
The base provides military “air superiority” coverage “on-demand anywhere in the world,” it said in a release.
The wing says it is “routinely called upon to support homeland defense missions,” the release read.
It provides emergency response to the state and nation in the areas of “security, logistics, communications, explosive ordnance disposal, firefighting, and medical support.”
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