The Port of Seattle and City of Seatac are seeking public comment on a plan to move the cell-phone waiting area at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The port needs the space for a place to park aircraft overnight at the airport.

The cell-phone parking lot on the west side of Air Cargo Road and north of South 170th Street provides a free place to wait for those picking up arriving passengers at the airport.

The port is proposing to move the waiting lot to the south side of South 170th Street, with an entrance and exit across from the southbound North Airport Expressway off-ramp. The location is unimproved.

The relocation project would require the demolition of the existing asphalt pavement, re-grading, re-paving and striping of a new asphalt parking lot, installation of new lighting, and revision of the existing stormwater system.  This project will provide for short-term curbside parking for parties awaiting the pick-up of arriving passengers at the airport.

In addition, a roundabout at the terminus of the ramp from the southbound North Airport Expressway to South 170th would be constructed to manage traffic along South 170th Street. A jump road between the old northbound NAE off-ramp and the new lot would be constructed to enter and exit the lot to South 170th St.

The public can comment on the project’s environmental determination of non-significance by submitting written comments no later than 4 p.m. on Aug. 2 to Steve Rybolt, Port of Seattle, Aviation Environmental Programs, P.O. Box 68727, Seattle, Washington, 98168 or the Port of Seattle electronic mail Internet address at SEPA.p@portseattle.org.

Information used to reach this determination and applicable state laws and Port of Seattle policies, regulations, and procedures are available for public review at the Port of Seattle office, at the Engineering Services Dept., Second Floor Bid Counter, Pier 69, 2711 Alaskan Way, Seattle.

The document is also available for review online.

No action will be taken on this proposal until after the 14-day public comment period.