Aspen Times Opinion October 15, 2024
As the mayors of Snowmass Village, Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs, our No. 1 priority is ensuring the well-being of our communities and the people who call them home. We are committed to making decisions that preserve the quality of life we all cherish, while also planning for a sustainable and prosperous future. That’s why we are united in supporting the Aspen Airport Layout Plan.
To be clear, whether to modernize the Aspen airport is not just an upper-valley concern. Its form and function directly impacts things like connectivity, traffic, and safety throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
All too often our residents contend with the inconvenience of driving to Eagle, Grand Junction, or Denver to meet travel needs. Our local airport could and should serve as this critical link. We deserve accessible and reliable air service that affords the ability to pursue opportunities outside the Valley for work, family, and leisure, without having to travel long distances to do so. We believe the airport upgrade plan will help ensure that staying connected doesn’t have to mean leaving our communities behind.
Moreover, an airport that can better accommodate destination travel will benefit our downvalley communities by reducing traffic on Colorado Highway 82, Grand Avenue, and others. Enabling more travelers to fly directly into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport instead of driving to and from distant alternatives, and improving the integration of public transportation in and out of the terminal, will help reduce demand on roadways throughout our too often congested corridor.
Certainly, each of us appreciates that tourism is a cornerstone of our local economies. It provides jobs for our friends and neighbors and is what allows so many of our small businesses to thrive. We should strive to provide a seamless and pleasant experience for visitors and hope that folks from the world over continue to choose our beautiful valley as their destination.
We also hear your concerns about unnecessary or over-development, and want to assure you that this project isn’t about blind growth or expanding our capacity for more visitors. Instead, it is about better managing current demand in a way that aligns with our community and environmental goals. The planned improvements, like measures to control noise and emissions, will help protect the character and natural beauty of our area. Growth is controlled in our respective communities through careful land use and other planning tools, not by the airport, and we are committed to maintaining the character and charm that makes each so special.
The reality is our current airport infrastructure is outdated and struggles to accommodate current traffic safely and efficiently. The last major renovation was nearly 40 years ago. By modernizing the terminal and airfield, we will not only meet the necessary safety requirements but also create an environment that appropriately reflects the spirit and environmental goals of our community.
The proposed improvements are not just about upgrading Aspen’s airport — they’re about creating a safer, more convenient, and environmentally responsible gateway for residents and visitors of our entire Valley. This is a thoughtful and measured investment in the long-term health and vibrancy of our region, and we believe this project will benefit all of us, providing safer, more reliable travel options without sacrificing what makes our communities special.
We encourage you to join us in supporting this balanced approach to a better future for our region. Vote yes on 1C.
Thank you for your continued trust and support.
This guest column was written on behalf of Snowmass Village Mayor Bill Madsen, Basalt Mayor David Knight, Carbondale Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, and Glenwood Springs Mayor Ingrid Wussow.
