More parking is on the way for Sioux Falls Regional Airport
The Sioux Falls Regional Airport broke ground Wednesday on its new parking ramp.
The $63 million project will include 975 parking spaces within the four-level structure and a skyway that connects the second level to the main terminal. The second, third and fourth floors will be long-term parking with the ground level being hourly parking.
"We've seen tremendous growth over the years," Airport Authority Board commissioner Kent Cutler said. "In order to continue to provide the same great services, ... the parking ramp is vital to this goal."
Although the Airport Authority hasn't yet decided on the rates, Executive Director Dan Letellier said hourly rates would likely be around $2 an hour, with a max of $15 to $16 a day. He added there's a chance they might make parking cheaper during the slow travel seasons throughout the year.
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The short-term lot now has about 300 parking spaces, said Letellier, and long-term holds about 450. After the ramp is built, some of those spaces will come back, but the majority will be in the parking ramp.
"What a lot of people don't realize is that most things in the airport are funded by parking," airport chairman Lon Stroscheir said. He said more than half of the cost to run the airport comes from parking.
During the construction, the long-term lot will be limited to 67% and the short-term parking lot will be closed. Airport travelers will instead be advised to use the economy parking lot, and there will be a continuous shuttling service going to and from the terminal for assistance.
Construction crews are currently adding another 500 parking spaces to the south of the economy lot, which will help alleviate some of the parking constraints while the ramp is being built, Letellier said. Construction on the ramp is set to wrap up in October 2024.
"This has been a long effort to get to this point," Letellier said.
The airport set a record in 2022, serving over 1.2 million passengers.
Mayor Paul TenHaken said he hears less and less about people driving to Omaha for flights, or submitting complaints to his office, and that this parking ramp is part of the plan to continue that growth and excellence. Part of the update's master plan includes a proposed terminal expansion, for example.
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"There's some bold visions ahead for the airport," TenHaken said.
People can view this online tour of the parking ramp here.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls airport parking is expanding with new ramp
