Design consultants for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport modernization project presented a progress update to the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 14, summarizing a benchmarking visit to the Port of Portland and other airports, the formation of a 21-member task force, and a public engagement schedule that starts with an open house and community forums.

What the team presented: The design team emphasized three main program elements under review: a replacement terminal, a ground-transportation/multimodal center and associated parking or rental-car infrastructure. Consultants said sustainability and passenger experience are to be woven into every design decision.

Benchmarking and design takeaways: Project leads showed images and lessons from the Port of Portland (PDX), which the team visited. They highlighted design choices that reduced passenger stress at security checkpoints, used timber and locally sourced materials to create a sense of place, and established a 'civic' gathering area pre-security. The team also showed design strategies for flexibility (column-free checkpoint areas), integrated technology poles for power and communications, and a range of sustainability tactics that include passive solar, embodied-carbon reduction and water reuse where feasible.

Task force and public engagement: The county-appointed task force of 21 local stakeholders held a kickoff meeting on Sept. 30 and provided initial input; consultants said the group is deeply engaged and will continue to advise. The consultants scheduled a public open house for Oct. 15 (5:00'7 p.m. at the Aspen Firehouse) and will solicit input on priorities, mobility preferences and trade-offs, including mobility options during the projected runway reconstruction in 2027.

Sustainability ambitions: The design team said staff and consultants have discussed pursuing ambitious sustainability goals (low operational carbon, reduced embodied carbon, biophilic design and indoor-environment quality). Team members stressed that local energy realities (Holy Cross Energy's decarbonization timeline) make an electric-first strategy feasible, and that the design should be tailored to place rather than follow a certification checklist for its own sake.

Next steps: The team will bring early concept layouts to the county and task force in two weeks (Oct. 28) and continue public outreach. County staff and the task force will coordinate on multimodal planning during the airport's planned runway closure in 2027; several commissioners asked the team to continue close coordination with local municipalities and transit providers about service options during the closure.

Ending note: Consultants asked the county to continue timely decision-making to stay on the schedule that supports runway and terminal phasing, and commissioners said they will keep public outreach and local economic impacts in view as the process advances.