tion. The cost of a mile of overhead line might
run $700,000, while the cost to bury the same
line ran upwards of $2.8 million. State gov-
ernments were, by their nature, conservative
with money and I didn't see any chance the
state would spend its much needed cash to
keep Bird's Nest Airport in business.
ten testimony, Kay and I e-mailed dozens
of drafts back and forth, trying to make the
sworn statement both accurate and compel-
ling. The entire process made me realize just
ers and costly.
I did mind, however, if the new line prevented
safe takeoffs and landings. I had dished out
$2.1 million for the property, $225,000 to have
the old runway re-asphalted, $50,000 to Garv-
er Engineers to design a new runway, and an-
other $375,000 to engineer and prepare con-
struction drawings. I had already spent a lot
of money to improve the airport only to find
out LCRA wanted to put up a web of tall lattice
towers that would, at a minimum, limit airport
gravel and gray towers) is very close to the airport. Photo courtesy of David Hannah III.