Oak Ridge Airport Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Updated: August 2022
Background:
Between 2012 and 2020, MKAA, which was the recognized agency to lead the planning, researched funding and conducted technical reviews to demonstrate the need for the regional general aviation airport.
On July 21, 2020, City Council approved Resolution 7-75-2020 authorizing actions related to the Oak Ridge General Aviation Airport. These actions included seeking transfer of sponsorship of the airport from MKAA to the City of Oak Ridge and initiating transfers of grants related to the airport to the City. MKAA agreed to transfer sponsorship to the City on September 28, 2020, through an assignment and assumption agreement. City staff took steps to transfer grant funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Tennessee Aeronautics Economic Development Fund (AEDF) from MKAA to the City to realign it with the new sponsorship.
Where will the airport be located?
East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) at Heritage Center, on the site of the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (a.k.a. K-25) and adjacent or roughly parallel to Oak Ridge Turnpike (Hwy 58).
How is the airport being paid for? How much will it cost?
In March 2021, UT-Battelle Development Corporation contributed $500,000 to assist with the project.
Who is working on the project?
The airport project is being managed by the City Manager’s Office. The proposed project has received widespread regional support, including the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Chambers of Commerce in Oak Ridge, Knoxville, and Blount County.
What will the airport be used for?
What’s the timeline? When will the airport officially open?
The City is working to transfer several parcels of land from CROET, DOE, and the private sector. Appraisals of privately-owned lands at the airport site are now complete, and City Staff are working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to begin the acquisition process. The City’s contractor is continuing work on the Environmental Assessment and the Preliminary Engineering study, with anticipated completion dates in late Summer 2022. The FAA has begun drafting its Section 106 Report to submit to the State Historic Preservation Office. The goal is to have planes in the air in 2025.
Resources:
Project Contact:
Mark S. Watson
Oak Ridge City Manager
(865) 425-3550
mwatson@oakridgetn.gov
Media Contact:
Lauren Gray
Senior Communications Specialist
(865) 425-3576
lgray@oakridgetn.gov