XII. SFO - Stated Objectives for Runway Program
SFO's Runway Reconfiguration Program has four stated objectives:
1. Reduce Flight Delays
SFO's own study reveals that the majority of delays are not the result of weather in the region. The delays can dramatically be reduced through improved technology and rational use of the existing runways. Any new runways would not be completed for another 10 years and would yield no delay reduction in the near term.
2. Reduce human exposure to aircraft noise
While new runways would allow some aircraft to arrive farther out over the Bay, airlines will insists on using the runway closest to shore in order to reduce fuel costs and taxi times. When one plane is landing farther from shore another will be landing near shore and noise reductions for those on the ground will be limited.
3. Accommodate the New Large Aircraft (NLAs)
The number of New Large Aircraft (NLAs) will be limited. By the year 2010, NLAs will only account for 4 roundtrips per day at SFO. The Boeing NLA will be much smaller than predicted, only 8% wider than the previous Boeing 747-400 aircraft, and may be able to operate on many existing airfields.
4. Achieve net environmental gains for the Bay
In the last 35 years, the Bay has been enjoying steady environmental gains thanks to public and private efforts to restore and protect the Bay. Since the formation of the Bay Conservation & Development Commission, damage to the Bay has been limited. The successful restoration of the Bay requires both protection and steady progress in restoration efforts. Restoration of the Bay without protection of the Bay cannot yield a net environmental gain because the Bay is a complex system. Restoration areas depend upon the tidal flow from a healthy bay. No amount of mitigation can justify allowing the most damaging project in a generation to go forward.