After a delay, Oklahoma City leaders are moving forward with more than $100 million in improvements to the Will Rogers World Airport.
The Airport Trust voted in support of $115 million in revenue bonds to help finance a 5-year capital plan. Work on the terminal project is to begin in early 2019 and should last about 30 months, according to Karen Carney, a spokeswoman for the airport.
The project includes expansion on three levels of the terminal to the east plus the addition of 4 new gates. A second phase of expansion is possible and would include 7 more gates, if the airport is able to attract more carriers and add to the number of flights.
Once the 2019 construction is finished, only one security checkpoint will be in place at the airport, not two as there are now. Carney indicated the new consolidated screening area will be larger and constructed to TSA specifications.
The new consolidated screening area will be much larger and built to TSA specifications, with the resulting streamlining greatly increasing efficiency, Carney said.
Plans call for a 3rd level observation gallery as well as additional baggage claims on the lower level. The airport used to have an observation or viewing deck but it was removed under airport expansion some years ago.
