SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 14: Travelers wait in line to go through security at the Salt Lake City International Airport on December 14, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
The price tag for the Salt Lake City International Airport renovation has skyrocketed to $4.1 billion this week. The Airport Advisory Board claims the increase comes from a new master plan.
Including a long-term needs assessment, the airport will now serve 26 million passengers annually as compared to the early days. Mike Williams, the Salt Lake airport program director, announced a few highlights from the renovation plan. For example, the new concourses will have 45-foot-tall windows in addition to improved technology to speed security screenings.
Facilities are also being created for our furry friends, including indoor pet relief areas with grass-like turf. The airport is catering to the master plan by better organizing air traffic. The new parallel design should prevent “bottlenecks” that can sometimes trap planes. Parking should also be easier, Williams said, because the number of stalls has doubled to 3,600.
The higher costs for the airport are being covered by user fees paid by airlines and their passengers, not through local taxes. When all is said and done in 2024, the airport will have a total of 78 gates, all with their own jetways and bridges.
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