A public open house to review design progress for the terminal development project at Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at Durango City Hall, 949 E 2nd Avenue.
The public is invited to the open house to review design progress, speak with airport and consultant staff, offer comments or ask questions. The airport is committed to keeping the community engaged and informed of proposed development at DRO and welcomes public participation in this process.
The airport initiated a formal design process to renovate and expand current airport terminal facilities in September 2021. An independent Design Review Committee and the Airport Advisory Commission unanimously approved the conceptual design in January. Schematic design, which takest the approved concept and translates it into architectural and spatial designs, is now underway. The schematic design process will refine the conceptual floor plans and make preliminary selections of major building systems and construction materials. Construction on the first phase is tentatively planned to begin in late 2022 or early 2023.
Construction will be strategically phased to not significantly impact traveler experience. Design and construction of the first phase of development will be funded through airport revenues generated from airport tenants and user fees.
The first phase of construction will expand post-screening airline gate and seating space where passengers wait prior to boarding flights, expand existing public restrooms available post-screening, and complete utility work necessary to support future building growth. The post-screening area is targeted for the first phase of construction since it is currently a significant pinch point for the airport and is also where passengers spend the most time inside the terminal.
Future phases of construction will relocate the TSA screening checkpoint, add airline gates, expand food and beverage concessions, add more public restrooms, and relocate and expand the baggage claim area.
The demand for commercial air service in Southwest Colorado and the Four Corners Region continues to grow. 2021 was the busiest year of all time at DRO, with more than 397,000 passengers arriving or departing. Passenger volume when the current terminal was built more than 30 years ago was less than half of what it is today. Expansion and modernization of terminal facilities is a key part of the airport’s plan to accommodate today’s needs as well as future growth in demand for air service to and from the region. Learn more about the