Although there is still no memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation over the proposed $100 million South Air Cargo facility, RIAC is moving ahead with the project.

“Construction bids are due at the end of April. Pending grant award, the construction notice to proceed is anticipated for Fall 2024. The construction contract is currently set at 414 calendar days from notice to proceed,” John Goodman, Assistant Vice President, Media and Public Relations, wrote in response to a series of questions over the project that had the agency and the mayor at odds until late January. With House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi playing a role, Gov. Dan McKee brought the mayor and RIAC president and CEO Iftikar Board Chair Jonathan Savage together for a meeting lasting about a half hour.

What changed?

Mayor Frank Picozzi said last week that, essentially, RIAC is moving ahead to address his major issue with the project – a means of diverting trailer truck traffic from Post Road or Main Avenue so as to reduce the impact on residential properties and proposed housing developments in City Centre. The plans as advertised by RIAC include a roundabout on airport property enabling tractor trailers to access the airport connector. Once adamant that Main Avenue and Post Road are not be used as access to the air cargo facility, Picozzi changed his tune when he learned the building would be used for local deliveries by small trucks and vans. He sees no point in those vehicles using the connector and then circling back to get to Warwick.

Warwick made its case to divert heavy truck traffic from Post Road and Main Avenue as well as extending an earthen berm on Strawberry Field Road West to shield area residents from the noise of cargo operations that would be directly across the street from them. However, when the environmental assessment of the project was finalized by RIAC and submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration it failed to address those concerns. The city turned to the attorney it retained when RIAC sought approval to lengthen the airport’s major runway: Steve Taber. Taber of the Pasadena, CA law firm of Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl was involved in negotiating an MOU resulting in the relocation of the Winslow Park playing fields. Taber filed for the FAA to review its finding of no significant impact (FONSI) of the South Cargo project. Since then RIAC has made changes in the plan including a means for trailer trucks to access the Airport Connector without crossing in front of the terminal.

It has also agreed to extend the earthen berm west on Strawberry Field Road West in front of homes that would be directly facing the air cargo facility even though FAA won’t pay to have it done, reports Ward 3 Councilman Tim Howe. Howe said in an interview Sunday that he has a good relationship with Goodman and the RIAC team, meeting with them monthly. At those meetings, he said, the city brings up issues, such as the cell phone parking lot, a source of complaints, that has been relocated closer to the terminal. The city also communicates matters such as planned developments near the airport.

“It’s mutual, it’s a two way street,” he said.

Howe would prefer RIAC purchase the houses to be impacted by the cargo facility as he proposed. The answer was a “cold hard John Wayne, ‘no’,” he said. He even suggested RIAC keep the houses, selling them to buyers who understand they are across the street from an air cargo operation.

FAA hasn’t yet issued a FONSI and Taber remains on the job.

“They can do what they want,” Picozzi said of the FAA and RIAC. Although the city has little authority to alter or stop the development, it does have some leverage when it comes to taking land. Portions of the area to be used for the project include city streets once dotted with homes. The houses were within the high noise contour and were either acquired and moved or demolished, but the streets belong to the city. At one point the city talked about selling the right of ways to RIAC.

That no longer appears to be part of a plan.

Picozzi didn’t have anything to say about the streets, nor did City Council President Steve McAllister.

Asked how this might work out, and whether the earthen berm would stay (it would be moved according to plan specifications), Goodman replied by email, “the berm and wall included in the Southside Site Work and Grading project remains unchanged.  RIAC is coordinating this work with the City of Warwick.”

Asked why a south cargo facility is needed, Goodman referred to the environmental assessment as prepared by AECOM.

 It reads, “The project’s needs are based on the existing cargo area’s functional deficiencies and obsolete characteristics in addition to the difficult geometrics of the airside connecting taxi lane and landside connecting roadways. The project’s purpose is to replace the deficient and obsolete facilities with modern cargo buildings and ancillary facilities that meet current design standards for safe and efficient cargo operations and to provide additional capacity.”

It goes on to say Green  has two cargo airlines, UPS and FedEx,  that collectively process nearly 40 million pounds of air cargo through the airport annually and that “the airport’s existing cargo operation is hampered by an inadequate cargo facility that does not meet today’s industry standards.”

The environmental assessment describes the development, exclusive of the FedEx operation in these terms: “The project will include a shared use aircraft parking ramp meeting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement and Advisory Circulars (ACs), an access road, and site development for UPS building ready site. The area for UPS will be designed to accommodate future modular buildings (with utility connections and surface preparation including a concrete pad suitable for modular structures). This project includes the design of a new shared use aircraft Apron, which will occupy approximately 4 acres of land to be located on the south side of the Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD).”

As for the cost, Goodman wrote, “As the project is currently out to bid, we would refrain from providing project cost. The total capital project cost is $100 million. The UPS site will be funded by RIAC, and the remainder of the work will be funded with FAA grants.”

Repeatedly Howe said he feels Picozzi has done a good job of representing the city.

“The mayor is doing this (the retention of Taber and questioning the environmental assessment) and I appreciate he’s doing it.”

He doesn’t see the city’s position as a case of “not in my backyard”, but looking out for the interests of the city while understanding development of the airport benefits the state and the city with jobs and revenue.

“Make us part of the process,” he said. “Warwick is not saying ‘give us the front of the table,’ but a place at the table.”