Airport Master Plan
Welcome to the Airport Master Plan website
The Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK) plays a key role in Nantucket’s economic vitality. The Airport provides a second port of entry for passengers and freight, and provides global and regional access to the island. In many ways, ACK is an economic driver on Nantucket, responsible for about 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and generating over $400 million in economic impact, the third highest of any airport in the Commonwealth.
To keep up, fly safe, and stay competitive, the Airport needs to analyze its assets and facilities, forecast future aviation demand, and create a roadmap—Master Plan—that will guide future airport policies and improvements. Understanding current issues and identifying future opportunities for the Airport will help ensure the island will continue to have a safe, convenient and sustainable airport for years to come.
What is the Master Plan?
The Airport’s new Master Plan, required and funded 95% by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and MassDOT Aeronautics, is study of current airport uses and deficiencies. It provides a structured process to identify priority projects to help the airport operate efficiently and safely, while “Flying Friendly.” We also use the Master Plan process to look at the big picture, including:
- How does the Airport interact with the island community and how it can be better by Flying Friendly;
- What are the potential environmental impacts and possible mitigation measures; and
- How to structure a self-sustaining framework for a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to establish a user-fee based investment budget.
Specific elements of the Master Plan include:
- Inventory of existing conditions
- 20-year aviation forecasts
- Airfield design evaluation
- Airport Layout Plan
- Noise abatement
- Environmental stewardship
- Ground transportation
- Consistency with community goals
- Capital Improvement Plan