FRANKLIN TWP, Beaver County — Officials are considering relocating a stretch of road to benefit both motorists and the Zelienople Municipal Airport.

Officials from the state Department of Transportation have been discussing moving part of Route 288, said Tom Surgalski, chairman of the Zelienople Airport Authority.

The road closest to the airport lacks a proper berm and has dangerous bends and hills that have caused accidents, he said.

It also is considered an obstruction to one of the airport’s runways, which is closed to landings at night.

A new route would bypass the area to the east and make for safer travels.

“The main idea is to get the road at sort of one elevation as it goes through that area, rather than the up and down and turns,” Surgalski said.

The airport also would acquire a small amount of land where the current road is. It would be designated as a runway safety area where any building or the planting of trees would be prohibited, said airport manager Dave Holman.

The highest part of the road and the hill it is on are close enough to the runway to be considered an obstruction to the runway approach area.

The airport was cited for that several years ago by the state aviation bureau and as a result the longer of its two runways is closed to landings at night, Holman said.

“It needs a normal glide slope to the runway, the touchdown area is clear, but if an airplane comes in there off course it could be a problem,” he said.

Usually wind conditions favor aircraft landing from the opposite direction, though the airport wants to have all its runways available to ensure the safest conditions, he said.

PennDOT spokeswoman Jamie Legenos said the state Bureau of Aviation has received a request for the changes, but has not done a feasibility study that would evaluate both the runway and road.

Another step in the process would be applying for a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, determining the cost of the project and identifying what agencies would pay for it, she said.

The area that would be affected is undeveloped and marshy so no houses or businesses would be impacted, Surgalski said.

Franklin Township Police Chief Brian Speer agreed that relocating part of the road would make it safer for motorists.

It is a frequently traveled road that connects Ellwood City, Lawrence County and Zelienople, he said.

Route 288 near the Butler County line is traveled by an average of 6,400 vehicles each day, according to PennDOT.

Speer estimated that the stretch of the road near the airport has about two or three bad accidents each year.

“I think it’s an unsafe area, especially with bad weather conditions. We’ve had bad weather incidents and some DUI accidents we’ve had there also,” he said.