After waiting almost two years, citizens of Puget Sound are invited to the Washington State Department of Transportation workshop to review the work product to date. This very important study has been needed by our region for a long time, even before the decision to construct the third runway.

It was hard to get the study funded in 2005 by legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines. I remember it took several years of campaigning by many to get it approved given the political lobbying against it.

In a prepared statement, John Sibold, director of the Aviation Division, said, "This is the first comprehensive study in over 20 years to help the Washington state airport system determine what we have, what we need and how we will fill that need."

This is an important opportunity for each private citizen to comment and possibly influence the location of the next regional airport. We had no such opportunity before the expansion of Sea-Tac Airport (with a third runway) before the political decision was encased in cement.

A new regional airport has many community economic advantages and disadvantages. The correct location of the airport is critical for the State of Washington's future to meet transportation needs-highways, railroads and aviation.

Make your voice count at the Western Washington Workshop, Tuesday, May 1, at the Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way S. in Tukwila (south end of Boeing Field).

Jim Bartlemay

Des Moines