GILLETTE, Wyo. — In a meeting of the Campbell County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday morning, a motion to rename Airport Road passed unanimously.
In his presentation to the board, Public Works Planner and Zoning Administrator Sam Proffer explained the road name needed to be updated for several logistical reasons.
For starters, Airport Road encompasses multiple roads in various directions surrounding the airport, which poses navigational challenges for people unfamiliar with the airport.
“The number of buildings that are out there and the number of hangars, it presents a problem to navigate … and as you all know, if you’re going out there to the airport, it’s pretty problematic to find your way around.” Proffer said. “And it’s especially problematic for people that are just new to the area or anybody that uses the airport, but even more than that is difficult for first responders out there.”
As part of the plan to rename the roads, buildings and hangars at the airport would also be assigned updated addresses, providing further clarity for navigation or in case of emergencies.
Staff at the Airport worked to rename certain sections of the road, Proffer said, but wanted to present to the board to get input and approval on the names.
The plan’s approval by the Board of Commissioners now allows the Airport Board to continue with the implementation of the plan, which includes finalizing the road names as well as adding wayfinding signage around the airport.
The plan and new road names still need approval by the Airport Board, but the tentative list new of names, all following an airport-related theme, are as follows:
- Aero Drive
- Hangar Way
- Aviation Avenue
- Terminal Loop
- Erickson Court or Erickson Lane
Per the plan, the road exterior to the airport and entrance from the highway will continue to be called Airport Road.
In discussion on the matter, commissioners agreed that the Erickson family, who recently sold land to the airport for hangar expansion, should be noted in a road section near their former property.
Aside from comments related to the inclusion of the Erickson name in some form, the commissioners approved of the renaming plan overall, agreeing that the thematic names were helpful indications of where certain areas on the airport property were located. The motion passed unanimously following discussion.
The naming change would go into effect as soon as possible, and Proffer noted the goal was to have the switch completed well before Camporee, for which there will be an influx of people traveling from out of town.
See the file attached below for the proposed map of the new road name locations:
