Spokane Airport Projects Reflect Regional Growth

SPOKANE, WA-Spokane International Airport plans to accept bids this month for more than $17.5 million in projects. Of the total, $15 million is slated for improvements including the rebuilding of a taxiway and construction of a new cargo apron. Another $2.5 million is penciled in for a road from Geiger Boulevard that will provide a new entrance to the airport for general aviation vehicle traffic.

“The airport is working to modernize and improve in terms of its customer service,” says Mark Turner, president of Spokane’s Economic Development Council. “This is the implementation of a new master plan that seeks to accommodate more cargo and passer traffic while improving customer service.” The head of the EDC tells GlobeSt.com the airport expansion and improvements are consistent with the growth the region has experienced over the last few years.

“There has been a lot of recent growth in Spokane,” Turner offers, “even during what has been downtime nationally.” According to Turner, Inland Paper alone has invested $70 million in plant modernization over the last few years, and other commercial development has been relatively prolific. “Projects in the central core of downtown over the course of the last three or four years total close to $320 million,” he says.