Sioux Falls airport parking ramp taking shape

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — People taking off from the Sioux Falls Regional Airport will have a new parking ramp to use next year.

Drive by the airport in Sioux Falls and you’ll notice the new parking ramp is taking shape.

It’s a welcome sight for Craig Ysbrand of Brookings.

“I think it’s great. It’s long overdue,” Ysbrand said.

The four-level parking garage will feature about 970 spaces, which means a gain of about 750 spaces.

Crews have poured the concrete for the first three levels, and a portion of the 4th floor was poured last week.

“Their goal is to have all the exterior concrete poured, all the floors, the ramps…they’ll be installing pre-cast concrete panels on the exterior here in the next week or so, so they want to have all of that completed by the end of November, kind of heading into winter, so they’re not having to worry about pouring concrete, but there will be a lot of interior work that’s done,” Sioux Falls Regional Airport executive director Dan Letellier said.

The parking ramp will also feature a skyway on the second level connecting to the main terminal.

The project is expected to be completed in September of next year.

“It’s going to be a great enhancement to the travel experience for people,” Letellier said.

“It will definitely be more handy, especially in the wintertime when you’re walking out. It’s just going to be across the street,” Ysbrand said.

The ground level of the parking garage will be for hourly parking and the upper levels will be for long-term parking.

The airport has expanded its economy lot which will help ease the parking crunch during the busier winter months.