Based on current forecasts, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) anticipates serving 21 million travelers a year by 2033, compared to the record of 14.2 million passengers set in 2019. RDU serves more than half the state of North Carolina, with many of its customers driving up to two hours to get to the airport. The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority continues to see growth not just in the Triangle, but in surrounding counties as the state’s population swells. As a result of this widespread growth, the Airport Authority has taken a multi-modal approach toward serving its customers’ transportation needs. No one mode of transportation will solve the needs of everyone who will fly out of RDU in the years to come. Vision 2040, RDU’s master plan for growing responsibly, includes building a ground transportation center to accommodate ride share services, hotel shuttles and public transportation, including bus rapid transit. We work closely with our partners at GoTriangle to ensure airport facilities support their regional transit plans, and we have publicly voiced our support for bus rapid transit connections to the airport. While parking brings in approximately 32% of the Airport Authority’s yearly revenue, our plans to add more parking spaces are based on future customer demand.
Our analysis of the next 20 years indicates that parking as a percentage of all transportation modes will decline. One may draw the conclusion that means there will be less people parking at the airport. It is quite the opposite. While other modes of transportation are growing, so is the number of people flying through RDU, which is driving the need for additional parking beyond the planned expansion of Park Economy 3. The Authority has designed the expansion of Park Economy 3 to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and is taking intentional steps to minimize any potential impact on the neighboring state park. The July 20 public workshop on the parking lot expansion project is part of RDU’s new environmental process, a first of its kind for airports across the U.S. As part of the process, the Authority is completing an extensive environmental review of the Park Economy 3 expansion project and providing multiple opportunities for public feedback.
The July 20 workshop is 5 to 7 p.m. in Room 100 of the Airport Authority’s building at 1000 Trade Drive. RDU will also accept written comments on the environmental report until 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. RDU is committed to balancing the need for the airport to grow with protecting the resources that make our community one of the best places in the country to live and work.
Ellis Hankins is Chair of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board. Michael Landguth is president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.