AUBURN – Airport officials in the 1990s didn’t see Lewiston-Auburn’s recent economic growth, and that’s left the Auburn Lewiston Municipal Airport in the lurch.

“This airport is so much busier now, and we didn’t plan for it,” said airport Manager John McGonagill. That leads to crowded aircraft parking aprons, too few hangars and busy runways.

Now local, state and federal aviation officials are working to create a new master plan for the airport that’s a little more flexible.

“It requires more up-front research and it costs a little more,” McGonagill said. “But the (Federal Aviation Administration) has already signed on and told the engineers they’d be reimbursed for the work they do.”

Better economic conditions locally have been reflected at the airport, he said. As more businesses have moved to the area, the airport has had more small air freight carriers use it. Many companies have smaller corporate jets that use the airport, too.

The airport had about 59,000 takeoffs and landings when the last master plan came out in 1997, with the figure expected to increase to about 66,000 in 2007.

It already has between 70,000 and 80,000 takeoffs and landings annually now.

“I think what happened is the plan became so detached from reality, people just stopped paying attention to it,” McGonagill said.

Things the airport needed in 1997- such as bigger parking aprons and a taxiway along the main runway – never were built.

“And it’s an even bigger problem now,” he said. “We still need them. If we had followed the plan, as inaccurate as it was, we probably would have been better off.”

Katie Servis, an airport planner working with ALMA officials, said most airport master plans are straightforward. Airport leaders forecast where they’ll be in 10 and 20 years and ask for what they’ll need.

ALMA’s new plan will rely on scenarios, saying where the airport will be – and what help it will need – if certain things happen.

“We’re looking at three things, basically,” McGonagill said. “Increasing general aviation, more air freight and passenger service. That gives the flexibility to expand in one area if we need to, and maybe contract somewhere else if we have to.”

Airport officials have already discussed the plan with local economic development groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council. Servis said she expects the first public hearing on the plan, designed to get input from Twin Cities residents and airport neighbors, will be in April.