U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary ofTransportation 

### OCT Z 9

### 2014

Jerald L. Ostdiek Douglas, Kelly, Ostdiek, and Ossian, P.C. 105 East 16th Street P.O. Box 419 Scottsbluff, NE 69363-0419

Dear Mr. Ostdiek: 1200 New JerseyAvenue SE Washington DC 20590

Thankyou for your letters ofJune 4 and June 11 regarding Scottsbluffand the mileage calculations that the Essential Air Service (EAS) program measures from communities inthe programto the nearest large- or medium-hub airport. You state that youbelieve Scottsbluffis farther away from the nearest hub, Denver International Airport (DEN) than 210 miles, and, therefore, do notbelieve Scottsbluffshould be subject to the $200 subsidy perpassenger cap applicable to EAS communities located within 210 driving miles ofthe nearest hub airport. You ask that the mileage from Scottsbluffto DEN be calculated using a more commonlytraveled route rather thanthe shortest distance along the "rural route" between Scottsbluffand Denver. You believe that this rural route running through Fort Morgan, Colorado, does not have cell service for large areas ofthe route, has signage along the road indicating that during the winter months snowplows will not run during evening hours, and thatthere are no gas stations for approximately 70 miles. You also request that the U.S. Department ofTransportation (Department) designate the route via Cheyenne, Wyoming, whichtotals greaterthan 210 miles as the designated route between Scottsbluffand Denver. Consistent with longstanding practice, the Department calculates the shortest driving distance between an EAS community and a large ormedium hub airport from the center ofthe EAS community to the entrance ofthe nearest large ormedium hub airport. In most cases, it is clear whether a certain community is located within or beyond 210 miles ofthe nearest large or mediumhub, but in situations where it is very close to 210 miles depending onthe mapping program used, the EAS Program office contacts the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), located within the Department, to make an official determination ofthe shortest distance between a community and the hub airport at issue. For example, in 2009, FHWA assisted the EAS program in resolving a distance calculation from Alamogordo/Holloman AirForce Base, New Mexico, to Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). In orderto resolve this issue for Scottsbluffs shortest distance to DEN, FHWA calculated the distance between Scottsbluffand DEN usingNHPN roads (National Highway PlanningPage 2 Jerald L. Ostdiek Network) roads. That distance was calculated as 195 miles, withinthe 210 mileage criterion set by Congress in 1990 for communities that mustnot exceed $200 perpassenger subsidy cap. The mapped route is as follows:

• AvenueBtoHwyWto21stst. • 5 Rocks Rd to County Rt. 21 • Nebraska Rt. 71 to Colorado 14 to Colorado 52 • I-76 to toll road 470 • Exit 28A towards Airport and PenaRd. Although this route follows the "ruralroute" as you described as being undesirable and that only an estimated 5% oftravelers use, 

### itis consistent with program practice in measuring the distance from an EAS community to the nearest large or medium hub airport. We look forward to continue working with Scottsbluffandthe WesternNebraskaRegional Airport inthe future. Sincerely,

Kevin Schlemmer Chief, Essential Air Service and

Domestic Analysis Division

cc: Darwin Skelton, Western NebraskaRegional Airport