Log In


Reset Password
News Education Local News Nation & World New Mexico

Good-byes may be $15

At airport, curbside parking near front door now being enforced as drop-off, pick-up point only
The Durango-La Plata County Airport is working to clear congestion at the entrance by enforcing a drop-off only zone. A row of 30-minute parking spaces was designated in the main parking lot, steps away from the terminal zone, though people using the airport have yet to embrace – either by choice or habit – the new rule.

Durango: small town, small airport. And nowhere is the airport’s casual vibe enjoyed more than the parking at its front doors. But all of that is about to change.

Six new signs have appeared up and down the terminal drop-off zones that read “passenger loading and unloading,” “3 minute limit,” and “courtesy vehicles and taxis only.” Plus, airport security officers are enforcing the signs, or at least starting to.

The problem is that many terminal users don’t seem to notice the new rules, or else they simply disregard them.

“Several months ago, we implemented a way to control the parking. And if we have to, we issue a citation,” said Kip Turner, aviation director of Durango-La Plata County Airport.

Think parking ticket – about $15.

To lighten congestion in the loading and unloading zone, a row of 30-minute parking spaces was designated in the main parking lot, steps away from the terminal zone, though they have yet to catch on.

On any day of the week, you can watch as people pull up to the terminal, nonchalantly park and stroll in. It’s nothing short of curbside terminal parking. Meanwhile, the 30-minute spots sit wide open.

Oh, driving yourself? It can be tough to find a spot. You might want to leave a few minutes early.

At 10:40 a.m. one weekend day, there was not a single parking space in the main lot, which has space for about 320 vehicles, said Republic Parking System manager Wes Groves.

“It’s always full,” he said.

You can always catch a ride to make your flight, but remember to keep your goodbyes short and sweet if you’re being dropped off curbside – you have only three minutes. Or head for the often-overlooked overflow parking – essentially, the airport’s second parking lot.

While some travelers might sneer at a walk from the “other” parking lot, it still beats the shuttle-to-train-to-hike at most big-city airports. Where Durangoans are spoiled is in their habit of turning loading and unloading into their own private parking. Hint to Durangoans: Don’t try that at Denver International Airport.

“We’ve gotten a better grasp on the problem, but we still have some of that happen,” Turner said. “It’s a safety concern.”

On a recent Sunday, one car was parked for at least 39 minutes underneath a three-minute-limit parking sign. The driver was nowhere in sight.

Despite the new signs, vehicles often sit unoccupied for prolonged periods. But not everyone breaks the rules – some tend to bend them a little.

Ann Huttner waited as her husband collected his luggage. He’s a frequent flier, so the Huttners have it down pat.

“I find it convenient,” she said. “If I stay in my car, I don’t get ticketed or anything. I’d hate to have to park over there.”

In a video, developed by FlyDurango/The Durango-La Plata County Airport, Turner says the airport is struggling to process twice the number of passengers it was designed for.

The airport also is struggling to meet the recommended standards of the air-travel industry. It falls short on luggage handling, de-icing abilities, security-screening space and passenger lounge areas, among others.

According to Turner, passenger numbers have increased 40 percent in the last five years.

Increased users is a good problem to have, Turner said, but the shortcomings of the infrastructure to handle them will worsen.

One Sunday afternoon, a steady stream of cars was driving in or pulling away. Passengers came out of the terminal and stuffed bags in vehicles – or the opposite: cars pulled up, travelers yanked luggage out of trunks, a quick hug or a handshake was exchanged, and off they went.

A few steps from the front doors, not far from the airport’s only baggage claim, a woman pulled up and parked her red Jeep under the new signs, their words reflecting in her windshield. Sixteen minutes went by, then 20, then 30.

bmathis@durangoherald.com



Reader Comments