The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) went live with new air traffic routes and procedures for South-Central Florida, promising improved safety and airspace efficiency.
The project, also known as the South-Central Florida Metroplex initiative, will optimize aircraft arrival and departure procedures to and from 21 airports.
One of 11 Metroplex projects nationwide, the new routes include changes in aircraft flight paths and altitudes but will not increase the number of aircraft operations at any of the airports, the FAA said. The Metroplex projects are designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in major metropolitan areas across the country.
According to the FAA, extensive outreach with the public was used before the project’s final decision. The agency held 30 public workshops and two public comment periods totaling 120 days between 2019 and 2020. The agency also evaluated and responded to more than 3,230 comments.
Once the FAA implements the new routes and procedures, there may be some variation in where the aircraft fly. Air traffic controllers, for example, will sometimes direct aircraft off published routes for safety and/or efficiency or to reroute them around weather systems.
The FAA issued the Finding of No Significant Impact-Record of Decision for the South-Central Florida Metroplex project in October 2020.