Airport

Development

County plans to modernize our current terminal are moving forward. Ground-breaking for the 26-month-long construction project is expected to occur in late 2023.

A new terminal has been a priority of the County to better accommodate current airport users and meet forecasted demands through the year 2035. The existing 28,000-square-foot terminal, which was built in the 1970s, will be replaced with a new 125,000-square-foot facility to be located adjacent to the existing building. The current building will be demolished as part of the plan.

There is no plan or proposal for new or longer runways, and the size of the airport will remain unchanged.

For updates on the project’s process, visit: ttnterminal.com

Public Documents

For information about the latest developments at Trenton-Mercer Airport, including improvement projects and the Airport Master Plan Update, click on the links below.

Terminal Area Improvements

Final Environmental Assessment

Public Notice

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

NEPA Final Environmental Assessment (EA)

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)/Record of Decision (ROD)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a FONSI/ROD based on the information and analysis contained in the Final EA (dated February 2022) for the Trenton-Mercer Airport Terminal Area Improvements. In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 1501.4(e)(1) and 1506.6, hard copies of the Final EA and FONSI/ROD will be available for 60-days public review, starting March 30, 2022, during normal business hours at the Trenton-Mercer Airport Administrative Offices located at 340 Scotch Road, Suite 200, Ewing, NJ 08628; the Yardley-Makefield Branch, Bucks County Free Library located at 1080 Edgewood Rd, Yardley, PA 19067; and Ewing Branch of the Mercer County Library System at 61 Scotch Rd, Ewing Township, NJ 08628. Electronic copy of the Final EA and FONSI / ROD are available and be viewed and downloaded from the project webpage https://www.ttnterminal.com.

Notificación de Disponibilidad

NEPA Evaluación Ambiental Final

Determinación de Impacto Ambiental No Significativo / Decisión de Récord

La Administración Federal de Aviación (FAA, por sus siglas en inglés) emitió una Determinación de Impacto Ambiental No Significativo / Decisión de Récord (FONSI/ROD, por sus siglas en inglés) basado en la información y análisis contenidos en la Evaluación Ambiental (EA) Final, con fecha de febrero 2022, para las mejoras al área de terminal del Aeropuerto Trenton-Mercer. De acuerdo con las reglamentaciones 1501.4(e)(1) y 1506.6 del Council on Environmental Quality, copias impresas de la EA Final y FONSI/ROD estarán disponibles para revisión pública durante 60 días, a partir del 30 de marzo de 2022, durante horario regular en el oficinas administrativas del Aeropuerto Trenton-Mercer ubicadas en 340 Scotch Road, Suite 200, Ewing, NJ 08628; Yardley-Makefield Branch, Bucks County Free Library ubicada en 1080 Edgewood Rd, Yardley, PA 19067; y Ewing Branch of the Mercer County Library System en 61 Scotch Rd, Ewing Township, NJ 08628. Copia electrónica de la EA Final y FONSI/ROD están disponibles y se pueden ver y descargar a través de la página web del proyecto https://www.ttnterminal.com.

Trenton-Mercer Airport Master Plan Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have been gathered from comments and questions received from the public and interested parties at public meetings and submitted by email or mail directly to the consultant team for the Master Plan. The FAQs are updated regularly as additional common questions are asked or clarification on the Master Plan or Airport Layout Plan is needed.

An Airport Master Plan is a process to plan for the short, intermediate, and long-term development goals of the Airport. The Airport Master Plan for Trenton-Mercer Airport will have a 20-year planning horizon based on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved aviation activity forecasts and will be developed through a combination of professional evaluation and public involvement. The goal of the Airport Master Plan is to provide the framework needed to guide future airport development that will cost-effectively satisfy aviation demand, while considering potential environmental and socioeconomic issues. The existing and proposed conditions are shown on the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) that accompanies the Master Plan.

The recommendations contained in an Airport Master Plan do not necessarily represent the views of FAA, and acceptance of the Airport Master Plan by FAA does not constitute a commitment on the part of FAA to participate in any development depicted in the Airport Master Plan or indicate that the proposed development is environmentally acceptable. Rather, the Airport Master Plan is essentially a facility planning study that sets forth a conceptual framework for possible future airport development.

The FAA recommends that public use airports such as Trenton-Mercer Airport prepare a new Airport Master Plan every 10 years +/- or as local aviation conditions change.  The previous Master Plan was completed in the late ’90s, therefore Mercer County has initiated this Airport Master Plan to ensure the Airport continues to operate in a safe and efficient manner and to address any changes in the aviation industry both locally and nationally.

Following a qualifications-based selection process, Urban Engineers was selected as the general consultant for the airport.   Urban Engineers hired McFarland Johnson, a national aviation consulting firm specializing in airport planning studies at smaller commercial service airports.

The FAA provides 90 percent of the project funding, with the remaining 10 percent coming from Mercer County.  The FAA funding is sourced from the Aviation Trust Fund, which is funded exclusively by various aviation user fees, including taxes on airline tickets, aviation fuel, and some aircraft parts.

Two public meetings were held in association with the Master Plan for the Trenton-Mercer Airport. The first public meeting held on September 29, 2016 and contained information on existing conditions, forecast, and airport facility needs.  The second meeting held on May 24, 2017 contained the same items as the first meeting but also presented the recommended development plan. These public meetings were associated with the plan itself.

An update of the Master Plan process and progress was presented at a Freeholder’s Meeting on December 13, 2016.

A third public meeting, held on October 19, 2017 as part of the Mercer County Freeholders Meeting, included a presentation of the Master Plan information on existing conditions, forecast data, and alternatives for airside, landside and terminal planning. The presentation includes public questions and comments regarding the master plan and future projects.

On July 12, 2018 representatives from Trenton-Mercer Airport and the Consultant Team attended a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders offered another full presentation on the accepted Master Plan and responded to public questions regarding the plan and future projects. 

Separately there is an ongoing obstruction removal project that has had separate public meetings and is NOT associated with the 20-year Master Plan. The tree removal and land acquisition is NOT part of any airport expansion and is being performed to maintain navigable airspace around the airport to ensure the safety of aircraft operations, the public, and property. Questions regarding the tree removal and land acquisition project should be directed to the airport manager’s office.

In addition to placing public notices in both the Trenton Times and the Bucks Courier Times, Mercer County has issued press releases for the two public meetings that were picked up by many media outlets in the two weeks leading up to  each of the meetings.  To further enhance future communication on airport planning/development related matters, the project team has been assembling an e-mail list from commenters attendees, and other local municipalities to further enhance direct communication with interested parties.  This list was used for the second public meeting. Outreach to local community groups, local townships and municipalities within Mercer County and Bucks County was also performed for the two public meetings.

For each of the public presentations that were part of the Freeholder’s Meetings in December, 2016 and October, 2017, the meeting was advertised on the Mercer County Website and public notices of the Freeholder meetings were made in local newspapers. The Board of Chosen Freeholders maintains an email list of interested parties, and informed those on the list of the July 2018 presentation. 

No actions, or specific projects are approved as result of the master planning process, the public meetings reflect the plan itself, and not the physical projects.

There are NO extensions or dimensional changes proposed to either runway at the Trenton-Mercer Airport. Concrete arresting beds were installed from 2012 through 2013 at the ends of each of the runways at Trenton-Mercer Airport. These beds were installed to reduce the potential for aircraft overruns of the runway and meet FAA safety requirements for Runway Safety Areas and the FAA’s Runway Safety Area Program and lock in the length of the runway.

Proposed modifications to the taxiway system do NOT enhance the airport’s capacity. Taxiway changes are proposed to improve safety on the airfield and meet FAA design standards only. The taxiway modifications shown on the Master Plan as future improvements will improve the geometry of intersecting taxiways and bring the airport into compliance with FAA criteria while improving safety, and reducing the potential for runway incursions due non-standard layouts or confusion of the pilots when navigating on the airfield.

The Existing Aircraft Operations (2015) at the airport includes the following:

Aircraft

Existing Total Annual Operations (2015)

Existing Average Daily Operations (2015)

Existing Average Daily Departures (2015)

Percentage of Average Daily Operations (2015)

Air Carrier (Airline)

9,599

26

13

12%

General/Corporate Aviation

66,873

183

92

86%

Military

1,791

5

2

2%

Total

78,263

214

107

100%

Operations are defined as the total number of take-offs and landings. For example, for every scheduled air carrier flight, there is 1 landing and 1 take-off that equals 2 operations.

The Proposed 20 Year Forecast of Aircraft Operations (2035) for the airport includes the following:

Aircraft

Proposed Total Annual Operations (2035)

Proposed Average Daily Operations (2035)

Percentage of Average Daily Operations (2035)

Increase of Daily Departures – 20 Years (2015-2035)

Air Carrier (Airline)

12,364

34

13%

4

General/Corporate Aviation

81,120

222

85%

19

Military

1,791

5

2%

0

Total

95,275

261

100%

23

On an average daily basis, the forecast of aircraft operations over the next 20 years projects approximately 23 additional takeoffs per day – for all types of aircraft. The increase in the number of additional flights is predominantly in the areas of recreational and corporate aviation.  On average, only approximately four additional daily airline arrivals and departures per day are anticipated in the 20-year horizon.

The proposed forecasts are based on industry trends, historical data, and data from other regional airports of similar size and capacity. The proposed forecast information is reviewed by the FAA prior to completion of the Master Plan.

Overall operational levels are forecast to be below the level of activity experienced at TTN during the 1990s and early 2000s when the airport had over 100,000 annual operations (nearly 140 takeoffs per day).

Over the next 20 year horizon only 16% of the future growth at the airport is anticipated to be in the form of commercial airlines; nearly 84% of the future growth will be in the form of general aviation that includes private aircraft for recreational, personal, or corporate use.

The existing terminal is 24,780 square feet in size. It currently processes over 377,000 passengers annually. The existing terminal consists of four aircraft positions served by two exit doors and is outdated and undersized for the number of operations it currently accommodates. During peak times, processing through security is impacted due to the size, configuration of the existing space and the adjacent areas for passengers to stand or sit in the public spaces which is inadequate. Airports with similar size operations to Trenton Mercer have larger and more modern facilities (that are between two and six times the size) that cost less to operate and maintain. The proposed terminal plan is to increase the capacity of the terminal up to approximately 125,000 square feet while still providing four hold rooms and gates for aircraft. The improvements will provide modern typical passenger amenities that most airports have such as adequate ticketing counter sizes and queuing areas; standardized Transportation Security Administration (TSA) sized processing areas and facilities; hold rooms and public spaces sized to accommodate waiting passengers in a comfortable environment; adequate restrooms, concessions, and other public amenities that are typical for all airports with similar aircraft schedules and sizes; provide up to date outbound baggage screening and inbound baggage handling that are automated and do not require as much manual assistance; improve the boarding process by providing boarding bridges that do not require passengers to go outside to board an aircraft; and improve the overall passenger experience entering and leaving the airport.

The current land/easement acquisition project is being done to ensure unobstructed airspace for the safe navigation of aircraft as trees have grown over the past few decades and as trees grow over time.  This project is separate from the Master Plan, for more information related to this project, please contact the airport.

The National Environmental Policy Act contains 3 types of approvals – Categorical Exclusion (CATX), Environmental Assessment (EA), and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS).  In general, Categorical Exclusions are used for specific categories of actions that meet certain criteria.  An example of a Categorical Exclusion would be rehabilitation of an existing facility.  Environmental Assessments are for projects that don’t qualify for a Categorical Exclusion and project effects that are not significant or can be mitigated so that they are not significant.  Environmental Impact Statements are for projects where environmental impacts are significant and can’t be mitigated.  Refer to FAA Orders 1050.1F and 5050.4B for a complete explanation. The definition of what a significant impact is lies with the approving agency.

Yes. All airport projects are reviewed by the FAA to determine if a CATX, EA, or EIS are required. Projects at Trenton Mercer Airport that have gone through, or are going through, environmental reviews include:

  • Trenton-Mercer Airport Baggage Claim – EA (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport Pad Construction Project for Aircraft Parking Position No. 1 – CATX (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport AOA Perimeter Security Fence Replacement – CATX (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport RW 6-24 Rehabilitation – CATX (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport Taxiway F and Taxiways D & G Connector – CATX (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport Relocation of Taxiway D & Rehabilitation of Taxiway G – EA (FAA)
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport Obstruction Mitigation – EA (FAA) (Ongoing)

Similarly, other recent local projects that have gone through environmental reviews include:

  • Scudders Falls Bridge, Lower Makefield Twp, PA – EA (PennDOT)
  • I-95 Highway Improvements up to Scudders Falls (resurfacing), Lower Makefield Twp, PA – CATX (PennDOT)
  • Route 31 Bridge over CSX, Hopewell Twp, NJ – CATX (NJDOT)
  • Route 1 Oxford Valley Interchange, Middletown Twp, Falls Twp, Lower Makefield Twp, PA – CATX (PennDOT)
  • Afton Ave Streetscapes, Yardley, PA – CATX (PennDOT)
  • Northeast Corridor Rail Investment Plan, Bucks County, PA and Mercer County, NJ – EIS (Amtrak)
  • SEPTA/CSX Separation, Mercer County, NJ and Bucks County, PA – CATX (Federal Transit Administration)
  • PennEast Pipeline, Ewing and Hopewell Twps, NJ – EIS (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

The FAA has two official roles during the Airport Master Plan study:

  • FAA reviews and approves the aviation forecasts (the projected growth of airport services) that will be prepared as part of the Master Plan process; and
  • FAA formally approves the ALP for airspace and design standards.

In addition, the FAA has a supportive and advisory role during the preparation of the Airport Master Plan. The FAA may provide comments on Airport Master Plan findings, recommendations and deliverables, and may offer technical assistance and support. The FAA does not formally approve the Airport Master Plan since it is considered a local policy or guidance document.

Yes.  Approval by the FAA of the ALP means only that there are no safety concerns related to the proposed Airport Master Plan and that the depiction is in general conformance with FAA standards.  Additional studies may be necessary before a project depicted on the Master Plan is implemented.  At a minimum, these usually include NEPA documentation and any other studies needed to satisfy required permit applications.

The documents can be accessed through the links provided at the top of this page. 

Aircraft noise is not commensurate with aircraft size. In many cases, modern commercial jetliners are quieter and more environmentally friendly than many of the recreational and corporate aircraft flying today.  The A320 and A320NEO are significantly quieter than the 737-200s which operated out of TTN in the 1990s.

To comment or to be added to future notifications by the airport regarding the Master Plan or environmental planning process, please contact our consultant team in one of the following ways:

  • Email your comments to: Trenton@mjinc.com
  • Send letter or comment to: Attn: Trenton-Mercer Airport Master Plan, Urban Engineers, Inc., 530 Walnut St., 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106