Poll: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport a Good Neighbor

Feb. 26, 2002

Car stereos and barking dogs are more of a nuisance than the sound of commercial jets overhead, according to a new poll to be released at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27.

The vast majority of Valley residents also want to keep Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in the city and they oppose the concept of a regional airport between Phoenix and Tucson, according to the public opinion poll, conducted by the Behavior Research Center.

"This is wonderful news because it says that the Valley has great confidence in Phoenix's ability to safely and efficiently operate the airport," said Councilwoman Peggy Bilsten, chairwoman of the city's Transportation, Aviation and Transit Subcommittee.

Ninety-five percent of respondents indicated they felt the airport was important to the Valley economy and did not feel that its current location posed a quality of life issue. Indeed, barking dogs and car stereos, respondents indicated, are more troublesome than the sound of commercial jets overhead.

On the quality of life question, respondents were asked to rank on a scale of 1 to 10 what kind of noise was of concern, with 10 indicating the highest concern. Car stereos received the highest score of 3.0, followed by 2.8 for car traffic, 2.3 for barking dogs and 1.9 for commercial aircraft overhead. The overflights received the second lowest score. Of the least concern were commercial aircraft takeoffs and landings, which received a score of 1.3, according to the poll.

Seventy-two percent of respondents favored expansion of Sky Harbor to meet the increased needs of a growing Valley population. Eighty-one percent opposed closing Sky Harbor in order to build a regional airport between Phoenix and Tucson.

The full poll will be released Wednesday at the subcommittee's regular meeting, which is scheduled to be at 12:30 p.m. in the 12th floor City Council Subcommittee Room of City Hall, 200 W. Washington St.

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