SGF CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING EXTENDED RWY CLOSURE FOR WORK IN THE RWY SAFETY AREA.

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ON JAN XA-XB/08; RWY 2/20 AT SGF ARPT WAS CLOSED. ACCORDING TO INFO WE WERE GIVEN AT THE TIME; IT WAS TO REMAIN CLOSED FOR 2 WKS. AS OF MID APRIL; THE RWY WAS STILL CLOSED. ACCORDING TO ARPT PERSONNEL; IT WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL WE HAVE 2 SOLID WKS OF TIME PASS WITHOUT RAIN; AS THEY NEED TO BACKFILL A TRENCH IN THE SAFETY AREA OF THE RWY. OUR WINDS FOR THE PAST 2 DAYS HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE SW AT 25-40 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 KTS. SEVERAL ACR'S AND AIR TAXI PLTS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TO LAND ON A XWIND RWY WITH WINDS AT THESE SPDS. I HAVE ADVISED THEM TO FILE ASRS RPTS AND TO DISCUSS THIS SITUATION WITH THEIR FLT OPS. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL GARS OF BOTH GA AND COMMERCIAL ACFT IN THE PAST 2 DAYS DUE TO THE XWINDS. A TRENCH AT THE END OF THE RWY SHOULD NOT BE CAUSE FOR CLOSING THE RWY. IT IS IN THE SAFETY AREA; NOT ON THE RWY ITSELF. IF AN ACFT WERE TO LAND IN THE SAFETY AREA; THE PRESENCE OF A TRENCH WOULD BE THE LEAST OF ITS PROBS. THE RWY IS CLR AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR IT NOT TO BE OPENED -- AT LEAST UNTIL THE EQUIP IS ACTUALLY READY AND ABLE TO CONDUCT THE DIRT WORK OFF THE RWY.