Published March 2004

Aviation agency develops business plan for funding

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT John Sibold, director of aviation for Washington state’s Department of Transportation, is based in Arlington at Smokey Point.

By John Wolcott
SCBJ Editor

General aviation airports provide a tremendous value to Washington state’s economy — and Snohomish County’s — according to studies by the state Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division in Arlington.

Director John Sibold said the county’s four general aviation fields — Paine Field, Arlington Airport, Darrington Airport and the private Harvey Field in Snohomish — contribute $116 million a year in direct and related financial benefits to the county’s economy, supporting 1,714 aviation jobs.

Because general aviation airports attract many other manufacturing firms, offices and jobs in addition to aircraft and flying businesses, airfields are significant economic assets for their communities, as well as the county and state economies, he said.

Despite the proven importance of airports’ economic impact, as well as their value as a base for search-and-rescue operations or emergency response centers, Sibold said there is a pressing need to raise the general awareness of the value of aviation facilities. His department is also promoting a new business plan for funding the state’s airport network.

“We’re trying to establish good business practices and set good standards for our funding. We can no longer be naïve about what it takes to fund aviation infrastructure. That means we also have to be sure decision makers at the national and state levels understand that aviation is as critical as other transportation needs. If you look at Europe, for instance, aviation is an equal player in prioritizing funding,” he said.

“We understand why Sea-Tac wants a third runway, and we support that,” he said, “but even with that, we would still have capacity issues. That’s why we may need to look at developing secondary airports in the region to meet regional aviation needs. We have invested millions of dollars in airports that have adequate capacity for expansion of services.”

He recommends a regional approach to meeting aviation needs, just as regional highway needs are studied and planned. When highways become too congested, secondary airports become even more important for both passengers and freight, he said.

For more information about Washington state’s Aviation Division, contact 360-651-6300 or visit the agency’s Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation.

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