Is it? Lights, transponders, and equipment to keep the runway free from snow.
let's assume $5.00/sq ft to lay down gravel - 5280 ft/mi * 60mi * 10ft wide road is about 3 million. That's pretty generous given the remote location, need to ship the heavy equipment.
I really don't know, but you could dodge a lot of lawsuits and shave an hour off of time to trauma center. Which, as I understand it, is the real goal. get hurt people to treatment as quickly as possible.
They would also need to seriously improve the runway to land in extreme wind conditions not just add ILS equipment. I don’t know what exactly is needed, but a single short gravel runway is a long way from being sufficient.
Next is the question of maintenance, if you actually want to save an hour the runway would need to be kept clear 24/7 which is expensive. Alternatively, they can start clearing the runway after the emergency which costs less money but more time. On the other hand a gravel road should be passable via off-road vehicle or snowmobile with minimal effort. Over say 30 years the road might be the clear winner.
spend a million dollars teaching the five folks on the volunteer fire department how to fly a helicopter. Spend another million on a helicopter. Spend another million upgrading the airport. Quick trip to cold bay, then off to Anchorage.
I mean, like, peoples lives are at stake. Speed wins every single time. the longer someone goes without treatment, the less chance they have at survival. And that's the root question here. Access to emergency services. It's a solvable problem.
I'm sure if you poke around you could find a better deal.
but the reality is, it's 30 miles by boat - even if they build the road people are always going to take the boat, because it's always going to be faster.
