Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport will host the first of three public information workshops to share details and solicit public comment regarding the airport’s master plan process, a 20-year plan and strategic framework for future airport development.
The public is encouraged to attend an open house on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Appalachian Room of the Courtyard by Marriott Roanoke Airport. RS&H, the engineering firm selected by the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission to undertake the study, will present the airport’s goals and core areas of focus for the study, including facilities and land use needs to accommodate economic and development trends for the region.
The previous airport master plan update was completed in 2008. Tim Bradshaw, the executive director of Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, said the master plan is necessary to prepare for anticipated increases in demand for aviation services.
“Traffic through the airport continues to increase year after year as this region expands,” said Bradshaw. “We must continue to take into account community issues that go beyond air service development to reflect environmental, socio-economic, and economic interests and opportunities. This will let us maintain our ability to service the Roanoke and New River valleys and support their growth.”
With the first of its public meetings, the master plan study enters its public phase, following seven months of airport inventory and forecasting research to benchmark anticipated passenger growth for the next two decades. The details of this research will be shared at the open house and workshop on the 25th.
The dates of the second and third workshops will be determined to coincide with critical junctures when public feedback will play an important role in the study’s progress.
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport has launched a website – https://flyroa.com/master-plan/ – to update citizens, businesses, and community stakeholders on the study and to solicit questions and feedback regarding potential plans.
The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is the primary airport for Virginia’s Blue Ridge and the New River Valley. ROA serves more than 710,000 passengers per year via four airlines: American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Allegiant Air. The airport offer nonstop service to six hub cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, and Washington Dulles. The airport also offers weekly flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.
