A roadway extension that had once been a key component of a controversial plan to build a Wegmans grocery store near the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport has been rejected by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The denial of the extension, which aimed to reduce congestion on Jefferson Avenue, will likely limit what can be built on the airport-owned land and could make it difficult for developers to bring the Wegmans proposal back to the City Council.
"The FAA continues to have very serious concerns about the proposed roadway developments within the RPZ (runway protection zone), particularly since it is within the limits of property owned by the airport," reads an Aug. 1 FAA letter obtained by the Daily Press Monday. "FAA expects the airport to take all reasonable actions, including keeping the land clear of incompatible uses, to meet the RPZ standards ... failure to do so could potentially jeopardize future Airport Improvement Program grants that (the airport) may request from FAA."
