Feb 25, 2009 10:48 am US/Eastern
Nearly Abandoned 'Jetport' May Be Offroad Paradise
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
-
-
An aerial view of the Miami-Dade Collier Transitional Airport, formerly the site of the proposed Everglades Jetport, now proposed as a recreational site for off-road vehicles
Fl. Dept. of Environmental Protection/CBS
An isolated runway in the Everglades that was once planned to be the site of the largest airport in the world could now become a haven for off-road enthusiasts and dirt bike riders, under a plan now being considered by officials in Miami-Dade and Collier counties.
Known today as the Dade-Collier Training and Transitional Airport, the virtually abandoned facility hugging the border between the two counties once was the proposed site of the Everglades Jetport, envisioned as a 6-runway airport for supersonic jets.
One 10 thousand foot runway was actually built, starting in 1968, before environmental concerns stalled the project. The US Supersonic Transport Plane program was canceled, and when combined with environmental issues, Miami-dade commissioners decided the Jetport plan should be killed.
The single runway remained, operated by the Miami-Dade aviation department, and served general aviation planes and training missions for Eastern Airlines And Pan Am, and later for other airlines, until the middle of the decade. A tower was staffed, and training flights often ran around the clock.
Now, the runway is unused and the land is covered with pits. With almost 25,000 acres available, Miami-Dade wants to find another use, and as the land has already been developed, the aviation department is proposing opening it to off-road vehicles, ATV's, and dirt bikes.
Miami-Dade Aviation engineer Pedro Hernandez pitched the plan to Collier County commissioners at the commission's Tuesday meeting.
Since the majority of the airport is in Collier County, Miami-Dade is seeking the county's support for the idea.
Hernandez said the airport land would support up to 20 miles of trails, along with possible campsites, improved lakes, and other recreational amenities.
The county is looking for a cheap and easy way to provide an outlet for the more owners of the more than 50 thousand off road vehicles registered within 100 miles of the proposed airport.
Without a legal place to enjoy them, owners of ATVs and motorcycles often rise illegally on public land or trespass on private property.
The airport was proposed because it is cheap, miles away from residential areas, and is currently serving no significant public purpose.
Collier County commissioners generally approved of the idea subject to finding funding for the plan.
The airport is located about 38 miles west of downtown Miami on Tamiami Trail.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Your Body: The Wonder Under The Skin
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
