Why Third Runway Is So Unfair

Location, location, location

Opposition to the Sea-Tac third runway project remains very strong in the Highline area because of the heavy burdens that the runway would thrust on the citizens & cities in Highline (South-West King County).

Sea–Tac has a tiny airport campus in the middle of long-established, almost totally residential neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are concentrated on the south and west side of the Airport, where they will suffer the most impact from addition of a third runway. Because of the tiny campus, most of the pollution impacts fall on properties not belonging to the Airport.

The west side of Airport is particularly sensitive because, for a decade, from 1977 through 1987, the Sea–Tac Communities Plan (in which the Port participated) encouraged local cities to locate housing, businesses, and on the west side near the existing airport. Unfortunately, this development is under what has become the flight path of the proposed third runway.

At the time, the Port said that the west side was such a problematic site that it would never build a third runway there. As late as 1992, Port Commissioner Pat Davis told the Highline Times that Port had no desire to build a third runway. So, many in the community were caught off–guard by the sudden appearance of the third-runway plan. Property values in the area took an instant nosedive, leaving many homeowners pinned in place.

Neighbors Pay Airport Costs

Although the State treats Sea–Tac as a facility of state–wide importance, it is run by on