Officials with the Reno-Tahoe International Airport are concerned with a preliminary NDOT proposal that would affect access to the airport as part of the upcoming Spaghetti Bowl improvement project.
The proposal would eliminate the two flyovers - dedicated ramps that directly connect the freeway with the airport with no stops.
"If they take away this access, eventually we will be one of the only airports in the top 100 that does not have direct freeway access; it's almost unheard of in airport design today," said Brian Kulpin of Reno-Tahoe International. "Why would we go backwards when the airport keeps moving forward. We're not against the spaghetti bowl, we want to see it improve, but everybody knows that NDOT has tried and failed to make the Spaghetti Bowl work in the last two attempts. Let's do it right this time, let's not harm the airport. Let's make sure all transportation - air and ground - moves properly today and in the future."
Kulpin says the airport generates $2 billion a year in economic impact for the region and they continue to add flights.
"We've added 1 million seats in the past three years to this airport," Kulpin said. "Our master plan says we'll have 6.4 million passenger seats by 2036 so why would we go backwards? If NDOT succeeds in taking away the flyovers it moves us back 30 years in the access to this airport."
Kulpin says plans are already moving forward and an environmental impact study is expected to be completed by November. He says the airport hasn't been involved in the planning process.
"We were not included as a stakeholder, shockingly, here we are, the freeway is right there next door to the airport and we're not included in their process," he said.
Over the past months Reno-Tahoe International has been working with a private engineering firm to come up with a solution that would work for everyone.
"We have a plan that would allow us to keep the flyovers, blend right in with the Spaghetti Bowl plan and make sure traffic moves properly throughout this region now and into the future," Kulpin said. "That's what we should be doing. Transportation entities should be working together, not against each other."
The airport is reaching out to lawmakers and to the public, encouraging anyone with an opinion to voice it.
"One of the things they can do is contact NDOT, let them know you're against them taking away the airport flyovers," Kulpin said. "There's no reason, if we're going to do a plan that's going to cost more than three billion dollars, that we can't find a way to keep these flyovers."
KTVN reached out to NDOT for comment on Thursday. An interview was scheduled, then canceled. Follow up phone calls were not returned by press time.
