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Commissioners debate short‑ and long‑term fixes for 'ugliest' Airport Way
Summary
Planning commissioners and staff discussed options to reimagine Airport Way, including removing failing chain‑link fence sections, frontage-road reconfiguration, landscape enhancements and staged safety audits to list actionable short‑term projects while planning larger redesigns.
During committee reports on April 14, commissioners and staff spent significant time on Airport Way, calling it one of the community’s highest‑profile roadway issues. Kellen Spillman reviewed past studies and maintenance concerns, including a deteriorating chain‑link fence that staff and commissioners said creates a poor gateway impression and is costly for maintenance.
Spillman urged a pragmatic short‑term approach: convene decision makers for a road‑safety audit, identify immediate low‑cost actions such as removing failing fence sections and targeted corridor improvements, and reserve larger reconstructive projects for longer planning and funding cycles. Commissioners raised options including decorative masonry barriers, roundabouts, frontage‑road vacations, and focused landscaping/pedestrian amenities — while acknowledging the scale and cost implications of major redesigns.
Why it matters: Airport Way is a heavily used corridor whose appearance and functionality affect corridor safety and the community’s public image. Commissioners framed the item as both a design and maintenance problem requiring interagency coordination.
What’s next: Staff and FAST Planning indicated they will pursue engaged, short‑term steps where feasible and a longer‑term program of studies and stakeholder meetings to refine options and identify funding pathways.
