Lower Makefield wants Mercer County to work collaboratively to reduce noise coming from the “growing number of airport operations” at Trenton-Mercer Airport.
In a letter addressed to Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, Lower Makefield Supervisors Chairman John Lewis outlined concepts for reducing noise pollution and examples of successful efforts at other airports.
The township supervisors did not officially vote on the letter but gave their blessings for it’s being sent at their June 5 meeting.
Lewis said he wanted to see if they could resolve the noise issues to “get a win-win situation” for residents both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who live near the airport in Ewing Township off Interstate 295.
The Mercer County Department of Communications did not provide the Bucks County Herald with a comment reacting to the letter in time to meet the newspaper’s deadline.
Noise from the airport is “disturbing residents, disrupting sleep, and affecting our quality of life. Our concerns are further heightened given the extensive expansion goals outlined in your December 2023 Transition Report” the letter stated.
It notes that an environmental assessment the airport submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration “expressly avoided the impact of increased operations by saying that the ‘terminal replacement’ would have no impact on air operations.” But the transition report calls for a longer runway to support longer range flights, Lewis pointed out.
Lewis said there exist “low-impact noise mitigation strategies” and the communities of Yardley and Lower Makefield are home to at least one person he knows with expertise in the field who’d be willing to help identify and implement “effective and low-cost solutions.”
The letter referred to noise mitigation strategies outlined by both the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The Trenton-Mercer Airport started operations in 1929 and now averages about 85,000 takeoffs and landings each year.
The letter was copied to U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-10, and State Rep. Perry Warren, D-31, all of whom represent constituents in Lower Makefield.
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