Federal funds totaling $39.1 million have been earmarked for improvements to the ever-busier Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Allocation of the Federal Aviation Administration funds is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. The money will support near-term and long-term improvement projects, according to a city press release.
A total of $14.25 million will fund the design of the airport's new Concourse B, currently in the predesign phase. The concourse will have a minimum of 10 gates, with up to 20 possible in future expansions. The project is a phase of Austin's Airport Expansion and Development Program, which includes boarding bridges, baggage handling systems, apron support spaces, and other tenant- and passenger-oriented improvement. The project also includes construction of a subgrade tunnel connecting the Barbara Jordan Terminal to Concourse B, with provisions for future expansion to a Concourse C.
The remaining $25.26 million has will go to 13,000 square feet of new infill in the Barbara Jordan Terminal's atrium, which will increase passenger processing space and capacity. The project will also include mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems upgrades.
City leaders credited "collaborative efforts between local and federal government, alongside numerous city departments," for the successful garnering of funds, said Interim City Manager, Jesús Garza. A federal delegation including U.S. Congressmen Lloyd Doggett, Greg Casar, and Michael McCaul and as Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn is also to credit for support in securing this critical funding, said Assistant City Manager Robert Goode.
ABIA began its major expansion and improvement program with the groundbreaking of the a new outbound baggage handling system in 2022, and last year started on a West Gate expansion project that includes promises new gates and passenger amenities. The airport's West Infill Project, which necessitated the temporary closure of TSA Checkpoint 3 for expansion, is also underway.
