I am writing to encourage voters in both the city of Durango and La Plata County to vote for the ballot measure to help fund the construction of a new terminal at the airport.
When I was appointed to the Airport Commission Board, a volunteer board that advises the airport director on issues related to the airport, I was a bit skeptical of the need for a new terminal. I had been using the airport on and off for the past 20 years and had experienced much worse conditions at some overcrowded airports on the East Coast.
But as I learned more about the issue, it became clear we are in need of facilities upgrades, and a new terminal building makes the most sense for the long term.
Half of the current arrival/departure area is a tent. The other half of the departure area, as well as the check-in and baggage areas, was built for 19-passenger aircraft. The largest long-term parking lot is a dirt lot with a chain link fence, and the tarmac, where commercial airplanes park, is quickly becoming too small.
The FAA sees the need and is ready to partner with the community and pay for half of the project. We are getting by with the current patches, but we need to implement some long-term fixes and I am concerned the longer we wait, the more expensive it will be.
I believe the airport is an important piece of infrastructure for the continued success of our community. While most locals do not use the airport every day, over a thousand passengers use the airport daily. The airport provides both tangible and intangible benefits to our community.
Almost 30 years ago, the community invested in the future by building the current terminal. Does anyone regret that investment?
Andrew Morehouse
Durango
Editor’s note: Andrew Morehouse joined the Durango-La Plata Airport Commission Board in March, 2014.
