Airport expansion??

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:33 pm

Anyone heard if Eppley is going to jump on the construction bandwagon and either expand or build new??? Logically I would think the airport would have a need as busy as it is....

zedmib · Post by **zedmib** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:20 am

This spring they should start work again on lengthening one of the runways. It started at 4200 feet and when completed it will be 8500 feet.
Any terminal expansion, which would be a new building to the south of the current terminal, will need to wait until traffic reaches five million passengers per year. The 2003 count was 3.7 million.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:12 am

Until relatively recently, Eppley was one of the few airports in the nation to be doing runway expansion.

The fact is... the airport is plenty big for the modest traffic we handle (always a pleasant experience after going through PHX or DFW). 5 million is indeed the magic number. Purely impractical aethetics... but I'd like to see a new tower as much anything.

There is a good article in the paper today on Don Smithey's ongoing efforts to bring on board additional discount carriers.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:43 pm

Yeah, I'm really excited at the prospect of new carriers at Eppley.

And I would love to see a new controll tower as much as anyone. Not to mention the pending new building to the south. Here's to seeing that "magic number" sooner than later!

CountOfMC · Post by **CountOfMC** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 9:07 pm

I know this article is outdated, but are officials really going to wait until Eppley hits 5 million exactly until they begin expansion with a new terminal, etc.. or do they start with plans when it creeps up to 4.5M? According to the date of this article, this expansion would've taken place already. Anyways, it looks like the initial phase has started to evolve, but do you guys suspect a new terminal could break ground within 2-4 years?? Certainly it's highly dependent on lots of things, but is this a fair assessment?

Officials To Begin Eppley Expansion
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Steady growth at Eppley Airfield has prompted officials to plan a $270 million expansion of the airport.

The initial phase, to start within two years, will concentrate on runway and airfield expansions and improvements to the front drive of the passenger terminal.

Within five years, officials expect crews to begin work on a new $53.6 million terminal with a double-deck front drive, a six-story parking garage and an above-ground ''people mover'' connecting the new terminal with a portion of the existing one.

''Omaha is a thriving and growing city,'' said Don Smithey, executive director of the Omaha Airport Authority. ''We are going to have to have an airport that serves its needs.''

The Airport Authority would pay for the project with a combination of federal grants and revenue bonds. The authority, which does not levy taxes, would pay back the bonds with money collected from airline landing fees, rent and the airport's share of food, merchandise and rental concessions.

guy4omaha · Post by **guy4omaha** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 10:56 am

When was this article published? I am thinking of either this article or one with similar content that was published prior to 9/11/2001. There are probably a lot of factors but 9/11 certainly affected volume. Aren't we just now, in 2004, climbing back to levels equal prior to 9/11.

My recollection of the 5 million figure is that they would use that as a trigger point that already had some buffer in it. It doesn't seem to me that Eppley would be nearly as crowded as other airports at 5 million. My guess is that the 5 million mark is what was estimated to let us build in time before the airport as it currently is would get too crowded at say 6 or 7 million.

Anyway, I certainly hope that air traffic continues to climb and we do need airport expansion sooner rather than later. A new terminal would be a really exciting development and neat new front door to our city.

CountOfMC · Post by **CountOfMC** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:06 pm

Yeah that article was published way back at the end of '98. I was just a little surprised they had plans back then to add a new extension which, according to the article, would've taken place last year. As you mentioned though, the volume back then was strikingly similar to what it is today.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:15 pm

I don't recall ever hearing mention of this back in 98, but I'm glad to see they were thinking so progressively.

I love the prospect of having a "people mover" connecting the two terminals.

I hope Eppley officials announce updated plans soon.