A temporary restraining order that had Santa Monica Airport supporters jumping for joy last week turned out to be short lived. The City of Santa Monica plans to start the process of shortening runway 3-21 on October 23 after Senior U.S. District Judge Ronald S. Lew denied a preliminary injunction and dissolved a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the process of reducing the runway length from nearly 5,000 to 3,500 feet.
Santa Monica’s Runway Shortening to Proceed
Key Takeaways:
- The City of Santa Monica will proceed with shortening runway 3-21 at Santa Monica Airport (SMO) from nearly 5,000 to 3,500 feet, after a judge denied an injunction and dissolved a temporary restraining order.
- The project begins October 23 with Phase 1 (nightly closures during weekdays) and will culminate in Phase 2 (a 10-day complete airport shutdown) after which the runway will be permanently 3,500 feet.
- Aviation organizations and local businesses oppose the runway shortening, citing negative impacts, and are continuing legal efforts to challenge the city's actions and the FAA consent decree allowing the shortening and eventual airport closure in 2028.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
