"Columbus Airport Authority plans $730 million expansion"

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Airport authority plans $730 million expansion
By Tim Doulin
The Columbus (OH) Dispatch


Driving to Port Columbus should get a little quicker when the state
eliminates the intersection of Stelzer Road and International Gateway and
builds an interchange in two years.
 
The project is one of six in a $730 million capital-improvement plan airport
officials say will help accommodate anticipated growth. 

The plan also includes a new south runway that will allow the airport to
handle more flights and open space for a second terminal, and a consolidated
rental-car facility that would serve the two terminals. 

The projects are spread out over the next 12 years and would be funded
primarily through airport revenue bonds, airport capital reserves, passenger
facility charges, grants and other federal funds. 

"It is absolutely tied to demand, but we have every expectation that the
demand we have outlined will happen," said David Whitaker, vice president of
business development for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. 

Port Columbus had 6.6 million passengers in 2005, up 6 percent from 2004.
The airport said it expects to serve 10 million passengers a year by 2018. 

Construction is scheduled to begin next year on the new International
Gateway interchange that would let traffic exiting I-670 and I-270 avoid the
traffic light at Stelzer Road. 

Traffic on Stelzer would flow beneath International Gateway. Drivers on
Stelzer would have access to International Gateway and vice versa. 

"It will definitely improve access," Whitaker said. "That light at Stelzer
and International Gateway is a thorn in many people's sides in terms of time
spent after exiting the freeway." 

The Ohio Department of Transportation will construct the interchange and
split the $40 million cost with the airport. The interchange is expected to
open in 2008. 

"Obviously, getting traffic to and from the airport is the highest priority
and we do not see any significant delays on that route" during construction,
said Tom Slack, ODOT project manager. 

In 1994, an engineering firm told airport officials they could build an
interchange by 2001 at a cost of $7 million. 

Other parts of the new capital-improvement plan include: 

* A crossover taxiway, with a bridge over International Gateway, to provide
aircraft access between north and south airfields on the west side of the
airport. Construction is scheduled to begin this year and the taxiway would
open in 2008. The cost is estimated at $35 million. 

* A new south runway that would be constructed far enough away from the
north runway to allow the airport to accommodate more flights. Currently,
the two runways are too close to allow simultaneous landings or takeoffs. 

"Right now, there has to be staggering of flights on the two runways,"
Whitaker said. "This improves your landing capabilities dramatically." 

The existing south runway would be converted into a taxiway. An
environmental-impact study will be conducted over the next three years, and
construction would begin in 2009. The runway would open in 2012. The
estimated cost is $130 million. 

* A consolidated rental-car facility, which would be located on a site west
of the airport and adjacent to I-670, would house rental companies that
operate at the airport. 

The facility would require rental-car customers to take a shuttle between
the airport and facility. 

Rental-car companies currently occupy 1,300 parking spaces on two levels of
the 3,400-space garage next to the passenger terminal. Construction would
begin 2009 and the facility would open in 2011. The estimated cost is $85
million. 

* A second terminal and garage would be built in phases, with construction
expected to begin in 2015. The first phase would open by 2018. The estimated
cost is $407 million. 

"We believe those dates are more than realistic," Whitaker said. "If we get
a hub or a carrier comes in that is wildly successful, we will be working to
get on line sooner. 

"If demand goes down, we will be later than 2018." 

Meanwhile, the airport also is moving forward with about $53 million in
changes to maximize capacity of the current terminal. That includes
increasing the number of security checkpoints, concessionaires and
restrooms. 

Checked-luggage screening, which currently is performed in the lobby near
the ticket counters, would move behind the counters.


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