Washington Governor Jay Inslee speaks to the CEO of Spokane International Airport, Larry Krauter about the updates and how they will affect the West Plains.
SPOKANE - The Spokane International Airport Terminal Renovation and Expansion program is well under way, and essentially lines out the long-term goals for airport expansion.
Governor Jay Inslee toured some of the ongoing construction at Spokane International Airport on Friday June 30. He also learned about the steps the airport is taking to accommodate the growth of the West Plains.
"Washington's economy is firing on all cylinders," Inslee said. "The expansion at Spokane International Airport and upgrades to the port's freight shipping operations are both strong signs that this region is ready to keep growing."
Chief Executive Officer Larry Krauter told Inslee the details of the numerous projects that are currently underway. Some of which are projects to alleviate traffic issues as the growth continues.
"We had to do something with Spotted Road," Krauter said to Inslee. "There have been some serious crashes on that road, some of them fatal. We want to make sure we can address and improve traffic routes around the airport."
These projects take a lot of investment according to Krauter, and they are tapping into every resource they have available.
Krauter said the airport recently received almost $23 million in grants to fund some of the upgrades. He also told the Governor about some of the other funding opportunities they can use.
"The best part of being in the position we're in," Krauter said to the Governor. "We are debt free at this point in the construction and we want to stay that way."
The CEO explained the airport has quite a bit of land in the area they can capitalize on as well.
"We also own some of the land in the surrounding area," Krauter told Inslee. "We can either sell or lease that acreage to help fund projects moving forward."
They have already started discussing the sale of some land to Spokane County. A stretch of land running between McFarlane Road and Highway 902 will be sold to the county.
This project will create a more efficient roadway through parts of Craig Rd. and Thorpe Rd.
The goal is to eliminate the 90 degree turns along the road and create a more gradual transition.
According to Krauter, these investments help increase the safety and efficiency of travel in and around the airport. He also said the airport needs to be able to stay ahead of regional growth.
Inslee applauded the efforts to bring these upgrades forward.
"This kind of investment helps bring world-class advanced manufacturing and clean energy firms to our state, creating good paying jobs for Washingtonians," Inslee said.
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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