Melberg: Direction on the Aspen airport
EVERYONE wants to keep Aspen/Pitkin County Airport safe and viable. The divide is between how big should our airport become or be? The Federal Aviation Administration and Pitkin County Commission are intent on discarding the allowable 95-foot wingspan limitation at ASE. This direction will allow larger commercial jets to bring in more tourists from NYC, Boston, Newark and Miami. This direction will also allow more and larger private jets to compete with our limited airspace. The growth generated (or as the county staff prefers to say facilitated) has never been divulged because the airlines say it’s proprietary information and the FAA and county have been silent on the matter. Common Sense says it will have significant impacts on highway traffic, trail systems, affordable housing and I project our eventual access to the ski mountains with black out days affecting season passes during high season holidays… just like Vail.
Stop the shenanigans of advertising and going to Washington, BOCC. The money spent by the BOCC to convince the highly-educated base of Pitkin County residents of the need to expand the runway has been staggering and unrelenting. Please put it to a VOTE so, We the People, can decide the direction our community wants with this potential change of character for the Roaring Fork Valley.
As Aspen Hall of Famer Ken Moore used to sign off on his letters to the editor:
Be Brave Comrades!
Tom Melberg
Woody Creek
