Geography
The airport is 25 miles (40 km) driving distance from downtown Denver, which is 19 miles (31 km) further away than Stapleton International Airport, the airport it replaced. The distant location was chosen to avoid aircraft noise affecting developed areas, to accommodate a generous runway layout that would not be compromised by winter storms, and to allow for future expansion. The 33,457 acres (52.277 sq mi; 135.40 km2) of land occupied by the airport is nearly twice the land area of Manhattan. The land was transferred from Adams County to Denver after a 1989 vote, increasing the city's size by 50 percent. However, much of the city of Aurora is actually closer to the airport than the developed portions of Denver, and all freeway traffic accessing the airport from central Denver passes through Aurora.
Airport officials say its large area contributes to it having the highest number of wildlife strikes in the United States (2,090 this decade – although it ranked seventh on basis of takeoffs and landings).
Read more about this topic: Denver International Airport
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