Construction has commenced on the 28 million USD terminal renovation and expansion project at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Throughout the project, the current terminal will be renovated and expanded by 26,000 square feet. Three new passenger loading bridges will also be added to support additional flights and routes.
Jim Hall, chairman of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority said:It’s difficult to increase boardings without more capacity, so growth is necessary for us to expand the market for our customers and remain competitive with other regional airports. We want to keep existing customers and win over new ones as Chattanooga and nationwide travel picks up, and the terminal expansion is an important milestone toward our vision.
The project will add expanded security lanes to speed up passenger traffic, while new concessions and a post-security dining space will further enhance the passenger experience.
These improvements will complement phase one of the airport’s master plan which added a 25 million USD four-level parking garage. The garage has three public parking levels, 1,300 spaces, a covered rental car area and a covered walkway to baggage claim.
Terry Hart, Chattanooga Airport president and CEO said:With the expansion, the Chattanooga Airport is advancing to phase two of our 20-year master plan. This project allows room for growth within the airport including additional departures and arrivals, so that we can continue conversations with airlines about new routes to and from Chattanooga.
The terminal expansion project is funded with 12.5 million USD in federal grants, 3.5 million USD from airport funds, and 8 million USD from Chattanooga Airport’s passenger facility fee.
Construction is led by J&J Contractors of Chattanooga and is expected to be complete in 2024. Meanwhile, engineers Allen & Hoshall are managing the project and DH&W is leading the architecture and interior planning.
