Jenks Residents Voice Concerns Over Tulsa Riverside Airport Expansion Plans

Dozens of unhappy Jenks residents attended a meeting Tuesday night to give input on the Tulsa Riverside Airport's updated master plan.

The biggest concern was over how much further the airport's runway needs to be extended.

The airport said the move would future-proof aviation in Jenks, keeping the airport relevant and continue driving the local economy.

Residents said the expansion proposal goes 1,000 feet too far.

It was clear from the moment the meeting started that most of the people who came were strongly opposed to any runway expansions.

Several different expansion options were presented, driven by recent research with pilots, like Lee Burke, interested in making the runway 1,000 feet longer, and therefore safer for certain aircraft.

"It's been a discussion and a desire to get these runways lengthened somehow," he said.

With no real room to expand north, the only option is to go south, past 91st street, cutting well into the nearby golf course.

The city of Tulsa owns the airport - and the land the golf course is on. Under certain plans the entire course would be in a runway protection zone.

But the course is actually inside Jenks city limits, and Jenks Mayor Cory Box is strongly opposed to the expansion.

"I haven't met one person, not one who has given me something good, that would benefit the city of Jenks," he said.

Airport representatives said a major roadblock, besides how costly it would be, is that city of Jenks has said it would not re-zone the golf course for aviation use if the golf course shuts down.

"There's nobody that I know of, at least in this group on this council that would be in favor of this," Mayor Box said.

The airport said in some versions of the plan avoiding neighborhood disruption and course closure may be possible, adding that the runway protection zone is still being discussed with the FAA.

A third community meeting will be held, but a date has not been announced.