CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Yeager Airport's governing board on Wednesday tentatively approved a plan by the Charleston Land Trust to convert an old equipment road used 50 years ago in the construction of the airport into a hiking and biking trail linking Coonskin Park with downtown Charleston.

The trail would enter airport property from a point along Barlow Drive not far from the trailhead for Coonskin Park's Elk River Trail. From Barlow Drive, the trail would climb a hillside overlooking Elk River and downtown Charleston, parallel Yeager's main runway, and descend to Elk Two Mile and Keystone Drive. At Keystone, the trail would leave airport property and eventually cross through Northgate commercial park, Charleston's Spring Hill Cemetery and enter downtown Charleston.

A small parking lot near the Barlow Drive trailhead would be built on a site now used for staging construction equipment.

Under current plans, Capitol Market would serve as the hub of the trail system, according to John Bullock of the Charleston Land Trust. "The idea is to make Charleston a better place in which to live," he said.

The Trust would build and maintain the trail through airport property.

Yeager's governing board approved licensing the Trust to build and maintain the trail through airport property pending approval by its legal counsel over possible liability issues.

Work on the trail is not expected to begin until sometime next spring, after work on the airport's runway extension project is complete.

"We think moving ahead with this project will give us momentum in starting the other trail sections that are being planned," said Lewis Payne, a member of the Land Trust and Charleston City Council.

Also Wednesday, the airport authority voted to enter an agreement with Glenville State University to conduct land management work, including tree planting, on airport land disturbed by runway and taxiway improvements. Some reforestation work will begin this fall, while the bulk of the tree planting will take place next spring.

Airport Director Rick Atkinson said that while the airport will lose 10 weekly flights by November because of the dropping of service to Cleveland by Continental Airlines and to Philadelphia by US Airways, it will gain a total of 137 passenger seats a week, because of the use of larger aircraft.

Delta, US Airways, Continental and Northwest have increased the size of aircraft serving their hubs from Charleston. Instead of using 37-passenger aircraft, the airlines will use 50-passenger regional jets.

Overall, Yeager Airport's passenger numbers have dropped 7 percent, compared to boarding figures recorded at this time last year. Atkinson said the reduction in boardings matches current national trends.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com or 348-5169.

The trail would enter airport property from a point along Barlow Drive not far from the trailhead for Coonskin Park's Elk River Trail. From Barlow Drive, the trail would climb a hillside overlooking Elk River and downtown Charleston, parallel Yeager's main runway, and descend to Elk Two Mile and Keystone Drive. At Keystone, the trail would leave airport property and eventually cross through Northgate commercial park, Charleston's Spring Hill Cemetery and enter downtown Charleston.

A small parking lot near the Barlow Drive trailhead would be built on a site now used for staging construction equipment.

Under current plans, Capitol Market would serve as the hub of the trail system, according to John Bullock of the Charleston Land Trust. "The idea is to make Charleston a better place in which to live," he said.

The Trust would build and maintain the trail through airport property.

Yeager's governing board approved licensing the Trust to build and maintain the trail through airport property pending approval by its legal counsel over possible liability issues.

Work on the trail is not expected to begin until sometime next spring, after work on the airport's runway extension project is complete.

"We think moving ahead with this project will give us momentum in starting the other trail sections that are being planned," said Lewis Payne, a member of the Land Trust and Charleston City Council.

Also Wednesday, the airport authority voted to enter an agreement with Glenville State University to conduct land management work, including tree planting, on airport land disturbed by runway and taxiway improvements. Some reforestation work will begin this fall, while the bulk of the tree planting will take place next spring.

Airport Director Rick Atkinson said that while the airport will lose 10 weekly flights by November because of the dropping of service to Cleveland by Continental Airlines and to Philadelphia by US Airways, it will gain a total of 137 passenger seats a week, because of the use of larger aircraft.

Delta, US Airways, Continental and Northwest have increased the size of aircraft serving their hubs from Charleston. Instead of using 37-passenger aircraft, the airlines will use 50-passenger regional jets.

Overall, Yeager Airport's passenger numbers have dropped 7 percent, compared to boarding figures recorded at this time last year. Atkinson said the reduction in boardings matches current national trends.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com or 348-5169.