Transportation
In 2022, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport experienced its busiest year on record. Ocials anticipate that 2023 will break this record, although end-of-year data has not been released as of press time. Airport sta are working on a multi-year modernization and expansion plan that is funded by airport revenue and federal grants. In June of 2020, ABIA ocials projected that passenger levels would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. However, the 2022 count surpassed the 2019 level by about 20%. ABIA spokesperson Sam Haynes said the growth can likely be attributed to an increased interest in Central Texas. Airport sta expect record- breaking year
The action taken
On the journey
Spanning over multiple years, the airport’s expansion program consists of projects aimed at creating space and modernizing the airport that was rst opened in 1999, Haynes said. Active projects include a new baggage han- dling system for outbound checked bags; the West Gate expansion, which will extend the terminal out past gates 33 and 34 where Spirit Airlines is located; and an airline fuel facility. On Aug. 30, o cials broke ground on the West Gate expansion, which will add a total of 84,000 square feet across three levels. In addition, the airport made strides toward its new mideld concourse project in 2023. A new 20-gate concourse, or area in which travelers pass through the airport, will connect to the Bar- bara Jordan Terminal by a tunnel underground, Haynes said. In order to construct the new concourse, the airport acquired the South Terminal from its pre- vious operator, LoneStar Airport Holdings LLC. The previous operator had a 40-year lease on the terminal that began in 2016, and the city settled for $88 million in a lawsuit to end the lease early. Operations of the South Terminal moved over to the city Nov. 1, and the terminal is up for removal by 2025. “This year has been a lot of planning, prepara- tion, sprinkling a little bit of groundbreaking, but it’s really a lot of the behind the scenes work that has to get done before we start bringing projects online,” Haynes said. In 2024, airport o cials anticipate the comple- tion of its jet fuel facility and a new cargo facility. The year will also see ground breaking on three projects.
In planning
• A new multi-level parking garage that will support both short and long-term parking for up to 30 days • A new arrivals and departure hall to expand ticketing and check-in • A new 20-gate concourse, or area which travelers pass through, that connects to the Barbara Jordan Terminal through an underground tunnel
In design
• Improvements to the international facility that will include new baggage carousels and more queuing space Timeline: estimated to begin construction in 2024 • Two parallel taxiways to connect the east and west sides of the building • Ticketing-level atrium inill, which will ill in an open space with 13,000 square feet to avoid TSA lines from queuing outside Timeline: estimated to begin construction in 2024 • West inill to expand TSA Checkpoint 3, which will add 16,000 square feet and additional lanes to a TSA checkpoint Timeline: estimated to begin construction in 2024
ABIA to break records
AS OF SEPT. 2023, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PASSENGERS WAS 16.3M.
25M
Under construction
20M
• New jet fuel facility Timeline: estimated completion Oct. 2024
15M
10M
• New baggage handling system for outbound checked bags Timeline: estimated completion in 2025 • West Gate expansion, which will extend the terminal out past gates 33 and 34, where Spirit Airlines is located Timeline: estimated completion in 2026
5M
0
- 2019 -
- 2021 2023*
SOURCE: AUSTINBERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTCOMMUNITY IMPACT *PROJECTED
SOURCE: AUSTINBERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMUNITY IMPACT
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