DIA needs to become a regional hub

"Flight Change," Alan Prendergast, March 4

Within the next twenty years, 2.3 million more people are moving to Colorado. Of those 2.3 million, only 67,000 will be living in Denver, according to Colorado's own demographic analysis. DIA is the natural hub for transit development in the Colorado Front Range. It is time for DRCOG to become FRCOG, and develop a transit system that reaches every city in the Front Range, with DIA as its hub. If Denver does not look ahead to a DRCOG 2.0 called FRCOG, it is going to run into Poundstone 2.0.

Donald Missey

Denver

So Kim Day spent $480,000 on a study to tell airport employees, "Hey, we're a business." You wouldn't know it from reading this puff piece. The article failed to press Day or her boss, gubernatorial candidate and Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, on where the city will find the massive additional revenues needed to pay for adding another half-billion-plus dollars to the current $4.1 billion airport debt balance.

Reuben Espinosa

Denver

I'm proud our mayor and our manager of aviation are taking the lead in DIA's planned growth. Bill Smith, who led the construction effort until his death, had an old US West poster on his wall that stated, "You have to make dust or eat dust!"

Gregg Looker

Denver

I admit that I never thought DIA would "fly." I was wrong about that, but I am certain about one thing: Closing the terminal to non-ticketed passengers would be a disaster. Denver does not need to have a giant shopping mall out on the plains.

Sue Foster

Denver

I would love to see the right changes take place at DIA. It is a phenomenal airport. I do agree that the Great Hall needs to be handled with extreme care; additionally, the vendors who are in the Great Hall need to be taken care of. Also, a map showing where all of the restaurants and stores in the airport are would be nice. I fly often enough in and out of DIA, but to remember each concourse's options gets taxing. But I do understand making the airport more flyer-friendly, efficient and just an all-around airport to be in. The long lines can get irritating, and the baggage fees make me want to take only a carry-on to a summer-long vacation.

I think that if the Great Hall dreams become a reality, it shouldn't be so sterile that people feel uncomfortable, but rather the flyer's needs for that area should be met.

Dawn P. Bookhardt-Bowen

Posted at westword.com

Editor's note: Read more comments about Alan Prendergast's piece posted after the online version. In the meantime, a few clarifications: According to the latest figures, Frankfurt has again pulled ahead of Denver as the world's ninth-busiest airport. Readers have also pointed out that the train to DIA will be electric commuter rail, "heavier" than the light rail RTD currently operates. And our print edition incorrectly stated that Curt Fentress is working on Denver's Justice Center; his latest Colorado project is the new state judicial complex, to be named after Ralph L. Carr.

"Sing-A-Bong," Patricia Calhoun, March 4

Sorry! No way! "Rocky Mountain High" was written by a man who put a huge gas tank on his property during the 1973 Arab oil embargo to serve his own selfish needs. He was not one of "us" and should not represent "us"! Please, we can find a songwriter more deserving than John Denver. Let's keep looking!

David Barnkow

Posted at westword.com

Patricia, I think you are a retard. It makes more sense to make fun of you than it does Colorado.

Dick

Denver