Project Details
| Description | Aviation Aviation-Planning Planning Land/Site Development Master Planning Public Involvement Sustainable Solutions Sustainability Planning Visualization Water Resources Environmental Services |
| Location | Denver, CO |
| Client/Owner | Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority |
Centennial Airport Master Plan
Located in the southern portion of the Denver Technological Center, Centennial Airport (APA) is one of the nation’s premier business airports. With 350,000 operations in 2019, Centennial Airport is the largest general aviation airport in Colorado and ranks among the busiest general aviation airports in the nation. RS&H was tasked with creating an Airport Master Plan that maximized the Airport’s ability to fulfill its role and remain a “good neighbor” within its community, RS&H crafted a tailored master planning approach that incorporated the sustainability principles of economic viability, operational efficiency, natural resource conservation, and social responsibility.
Some of the innovative items RS&H’s airport planners incorporated into this master plan include:
- Streamlining inventory efforts through a cost-effective “verify and update” approach that leveraged existing data.
- Beginning forecast analysis immediately resulting in early FAA approval with more time/resources spent focused on analyzing solutions to Airport challenges.
- Integrating analysis of airport management practices and financial modeling into alternatives development.
- Rapidly pivoting and adapting public involvement process in response to COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging interactive software to engage stakeholders safely in a virtual environment.
This customized and collaborative master planning approach resulted in the Airport establishing a clear and achievable project implementation plan that improves airfield safety and user experience. The plan does so in a sustainable manner while overcoming financial constraints true of most general aviation airports in the nation. At its core, the plan is constructed from an Airport owner’s perspective and built around alternative capital/operating financial strategies that achieve real-world improvements. The result is a focused, useful guide that Airport staff can reference for years to come to sustain a fiscally healthy and vibrant organization.
