Lisa Gianoli

If the Nevada Department of Transportation has its way, the growing Reno-Tahoe International Airport that generates $3.1 billion per year for the local economy and handles 4 million passengers per year will have only one entrance/exit.

NDOT wants to remove the popular southbound freeway access to the airport from I-580 as part of the Spaghetti Bowl Project. They also want to remove the Villanova entrance and exit. This means every FedEx semi trailer, UPS truck, passenger car, Uber, Lyft, taxi, bus, shuttle and rental car that today is spread among three entrances will be fighting for position in the already-cluttered Plumb Lane intersection.

Instead of nonstop access from the freeway to our front door, drivers will deal with all that congested traffic among stoplights, twists and turns. An accident at 5 a.m. in NDOT’s proposed intersection could force thousands of people to miss their flights.

Emergency access in our post-9/11 world is also a primary concern. An accident or intentional act in the intersection could block first responders from reaching the terminal which serves 16,000 passengers and nearly 4,000 employees each day.

More:Wells, Plumb and beyond: How NDOT Spaghetti Bowl plan affects exits, ramps you use

More:NDOT: Displacement of up to 2,000 residents ‘biggest impact’ of Spaghetti Bowl Project

More:NDOT Spaghetti Bowl video shows new ramps, freeway changes under preferred plan

It is important to note the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority supports the overall Spaghetti Bowl Project, but not at the expense of our passengers and employees. We have been meeting with NDOT on this issue for a year and we have never budged from our position on the importance of nonstop freeway access to RNO.

It is not the airport’s style to be confrontational or to attract negative attention. But it is our obligation to fight for the 6.5 million annual passengers who are expected to use the airport by 2036. And we continue to struggle to understand how a ramp built in 1990 is now unneeded when RNO has more flights, passengers, employees and cargo today than it did 30 years ago.

Now is the time to take action. If you or your customers enjoy the ease of access at RNO, please help us Save the Ramp. Visit Renoairport.com/savetheramp to learn more about the project and how you can write NDOT or community leaders to make your opinion known. Any comments NDOT receives before Jan. 15, 2019 at 5 p.m. must be included in the Environmental Impact Statement for the Spaghetti Bowl Project.

Thank you for your help and we hope to see you soon at RNO.

Lisa Gianoli is chair of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.