- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
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Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT
Westfield — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is celebrating the groundbreaking of the “Taxiway B South” project at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Western Massachusetts. Airport officials broke ground on the $32 million project on Monday, May 13, at a ceremony attended by elected officials, municipal leaders, and members of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. When completed, the Taxiway B South project will significantly improve airfield safety for civilian and military operations. Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport is one of 35 public use airports across Massachusetts overseen by MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division.
“Our airports are a vital part of Massachusetts’s transportation network, linking residents, visitors and businesses and spurring economic activity in their communities,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “On behalf of everyone in the community, I want to thank the 104th Fighter Wing and the airport management team for their determination and their ongoing work to bring this vision to life.”
“We congratulate the entire team at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport on this groundbreaking and look forward to supporting them in every way that we can in this endeavor,” said MassDOT Aeronautics Administrator Jeff DeCarlo. “The regional economic importance of Westfield-Barnes cannot be overstated, making this infrastructural upgrade a welcome development for the surrounding community.”
“As a longtime supporter of Barnes and the capable airmen and women who support and defend the Commonwealth and this nation, I was thrilled to join Adjutant General Keefe and Colonel Halasi-Kun last May to announce the assignment of a new fleet of F-35A aircraft to Barnes. Just one year later, we are breaking ground on a project that will prepare Barnes to receive the new aircraft, guaranteeing the long-term viability of the base and ensuring the 104th Fighter Wing can continue its vital mission for years to come,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal. “Ensuring the sustainability of both Barnes Air National Guard Base and Westover Air Reserve Base has been a top priority of mine throughout my time in Congress. I am pleased to partake in the groundbreaking of yet another project, one that will play a vital role in improving airfield safety for civilian and military operations.”
The $32 million project is the largest single investment in infrastructure improvement in the airport’s 100-year history, expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The project consists of three main components:
- Realigning and widening of Taxiway B South
- Realigning and widening of Taxiway E
- Reconstructing and expanding the South Arm Apron
In addition to widening and realigning the taxiways, these changes will enhance the safety of aircraft operations by lowering the possibility of runway incursions at the Taxiway B South and Runway 15-33 intersection. The Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport is a significant transportation asset and economic engine for Western Massachusetts, supporting about 2,100 direct and indirect jobs, an annual economic output of $236 million, and serving business, corporate, emergency, military, and recreational flyers.
About MassDOT Aeronautics
A division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, MassDOT Aeronautics works to make air transportation safer, cleaner, more efficient, and more economically advantageous for the people, communities, and businesses of Massachusetts. MassDOT Aeronautics employs the highest standards in safety, engineering, and financial management to regulate and promote air transportation in the Commonwealth. The Agency maintains and oversees 35 of the state’s 38 public-use airports, supports economic development and job growth, reduces aviation’s environmental impact, and explores the introduction of advanced aviation systems.
The MassDOT Aeronautics Drone Operations Program uses Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS, or drones) to support state and local agencies, municipalities, and quasi-governmental entities. The Drone Program provides services such as assessing the condition of critical state infrastructure, including rail and transit facilities, roads, bridges, and airports. The Drone Program also leverages MassDOT Aeronautics’ Data and Analytics Team, turning collected imagery into insightful data and actionable information for public transportation stakeholders and decision-makers.
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