FORKS — Since taking over a former naval auxiliary air station seven miles west of Forks in 1999, city officials have held ambitious development plans for Quillayute Airport.
“It has been our dream and vision for a long time to become a viable industry-related airport,” said Forks Mayor Nedra Reed.
“And it’s been our hope to be able to market it as such.”
But the 759-acre air field — which was covered with vegetation when it was first deeded to the city by the state Department of Transportation — still needs work and amenities to attract more traffic.
City officials already have grant money to install fueling pods, and are developing plans to construct an airport kiosk for pilots.
But another key project to install runway lights remains on hold for years, thanks to nearby resident elk herds.
About two years ago, Federal Aviation Administration inspectors from Seattle — responsible for releasing funds to pay for runway lighting — were visually inspecting the airport when a herd of Roosevelt elk wandered out of the blue straight in front of the visitors.
“They decided to make a very inopportune appearance,” recalls Reed, who accompanied the inspector along with City Attorney/Planner Rod Fleck.
‘Safety issue’
Once the elk were spotted, Fleck remembers that the inspector excitedly hopped out of the car to snap a number of photos.
When she returned to the vehicle, her first words were: “Now you realize we have a safety issue,” Fleck recalled.
Ever since, FAA officials have balked at handing over grant dollars to the city that would pay for runway lighting until the elk situation is mitigated.
“The optimum solution would be to fence the perimeter of the airport,” said Jeff Winter, an FAA civil engineer based in Seattle.
“But since there is such low-aircraft activity, the cost would be high relative to the benefit.”
It would cost about $900,000 to wrap a fence around the airport, with about 95 percent of the money coming from the FAA and the remainder from the city.
Last week, a $90,000 grant was approved by the FAA to the city, the Quileute tribe and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to study just how serious the wandering elk problem is — as well as what mitigating options are available.