Despite increasing problems with his brainchild, the new Denver International Airport, Transportation Secretary Federico Pena called the airport "the jewel of the national transportation system" during a visit to Denver last week.
Pena had been silent on Denver International in the last few months as problems mounted. The $4 billion airport has been delayed four times, and Denver officials have not set a new opening date. The $193 million baggage system doesn't work, and airport bonds have been downgraded to junk by one rating agency and one notch above junk by another.
In addition, soil expansion has caused concrete damage and Continental Airlines downsized its Denver hub.
Nonetheless, Pena, who initiated the project during the 1980s when he was Denver's mayor, predicted that the problems will be solved and Denver International will reduce delays nationally by 5%.
"I am doubly convinced that this new airport is absolutely critical to the nation's air service and to Denver," Pena said. "The only significant increase of capacity in this country in the next 10 years is Denver International Airport."
The transportation secretary predicted that the lower ratings on about $3 billion worth of the airport's revenue bonds won't last.
"The important thing is that this airport is going to open, and when it does the ratings are going to go back up," Pena said.
