"5 years later: Wisconsin airport keeps up with security"

Saturday, September 9, 2006

5 years later: Airport keeps up with security 
New rules part of remodeling 
By Bill Novak 
The Madison (WI) Capital Times


The Dane County Regional Airport was in the initial stages of a massive $65
million remodeling project five years ago, planning for drastic improvements
in baggage claims, ticketing and food and drink service, making the terminal
and concourse, bigger, better and more state of the art to handle 21st
century air travelers.

Then 9/11 happened.

While the terrorist attacks sent shudders throughout the land, it was
practically perfect timing for planners here, as tighter security measures
came flowing out of Washington.

Local airport officials were able to keep pace with the new rules, and
adjusted construction plans to incorporate the new security measures, rather
than having to retrofit the airport's infrastructure.

New screeners, scanners and security were the order of the day, and Dane
County was at the forefront in putting it all in.

"Post 9/11, 100 percent of the checked bags are screened," said Airport
Director Bradley Livingston. "In the airport's architectural planning, the
Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) machines were moved from in front of the
ticket agent desks to behind the scenes, creating a more relaxed and less
hectic experience for the passenger waiting in line for the ticket agent,
allowing the line to move more quickly and seamlessly."

The Department of Homeland Security was set up post-9/11 with the
Transportation Security Administration being a big part of it.

The TSA essentially took over security functions at airports across the
country, replacing contracted security guards at checkpoints leading up to
the airline concourses.

The renovations over the past five years enabled the county to install two
new security checkpoints at the main entrance and at the south end of the
new terminal building.

"The security screening checkpoint area was designed to accommodate the
growing and changing needs for passenger screening, allowing room for
equipment and practices being introduced by the TSA," Livingston said.

Most of the new restaurants and retail shops were also added to the
concourse, past the security screening near the gates to the airliners,
because passengers were arriving earlier at the airport due to the new
screening measures and were spending more time in the concourse waiting for
their flights to take off.

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