By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city is gearing up for a $33 million expansion and upgrade of the terminal building at the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, with funding for most of the project coming from federal dollars.
The project calls for increasing the size of the terminal from 20,500 square feet to 35,000 square feet, and adding a second floor gate area, among other changes.
The airport had one of its busiest seasons this summer, which included three planes overnighting here and leaving between 6 and 7 a.m., creating passenger congestion at the single TSA gateway. Other problems were identified 20 years ago and have gotten worse.
An illustration from the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport Terminal Improvements Project status update is shown. The latest design, which has two levels, has 35,000 square-feet of space with expanded passenger waiting area and baggage handling area. The existing airport is 20,566 square-feet. (Illustration provided)
“As the airport gets busier the problems get exponentially worse,” Public Works Director Michael Harmon told the Sentinel. “The number one thing is it’s congested from every vantage point...The main goal of the terminal is to get passengers and baggage through the building – through the terminal as efficiently as possible, and with all the security measures that need to be accomplished.”
The addition of fish boxes was also not contemplated when the terminal was built, he added.
It has taken more than 15 years to get funding for the improvements, Harmon said.
The FAA has already approved the city’s application to use Passenger Facility Charges collected from passengers to pay off a revenue bond for the project. The goal is to “improve critical deficiencies,” such as adding airport capacity, and improve airport security, Harmon said.
Improvements include:
– expanding the gate departure lounge to better accommodate full and multiple flights.
– expanding the TSA baggage screening area to improve flow and processing capacity of baggage screening and airline baggage handling and loading.
– relocating the jet bridge and ramp to improve passenger flow and allow modifications to the baggage screening and makeup areas.
– creating separate terminal entry and exit points with a new exit added from the baggage claim to improve passenger flow.
– modifying baggage claim area to reduce congestion and improve passenger flow.
– installing a new full-length terminal building canopy to improve passenger flow and provide shelter for passenger departure and arrival, and fish box staging.
– constructing new fish box holding areas, which will improve passenger flow, decrease concourse congestion and improve baggage screening, processing and handling.
– upgrading and replacing building systems, including modifying or replacing mechanical, electrical, life safety systems and network systems.
The improvements should reduce operating costs, Harmon said.
The architect on the project is McCool Carlson Green, but Harmon said the design owes a lot to the public, tenants and other users of the airport, with input going back more than 10 years.
“The design is very much driven by public and stakeholder input through all the presentations and meetings over the years, especially the master plan process and approval,” Harmon said.
The funding plan for the project includes a $4 million revenue bond with payments taken from Passenger Facility Charges; $245,000 from TSA for design for new baggage screening area; and $5.3 million from TSA for construction of baggage screening improvements.
The two TSA-funded improvements require 5 percent matches from the city – $13,000 for the design, and $279,000 for the construction, which will come from the revenue bond.
The city is also expecting to receive a $23.5 million grant from the FAA, through the Alaska Department of Transportation. A 6.25 percent local match ($1.567 million) is required from the city under the FAA program, which will be also covered by the revenue bond.
In all, the project is estimated to cost $33,084,629, which will include a local match of $1,858,226. The required matching funds will be taken out of the PFC revenue bond fund balance, Harmon said.
The public works department is looking for public feedback on the design, including the look and feel, as it works toward a target date this winter to complete the Phase I design. The next steps are to continue to develop cost estimates, a funding plan, and construction and funding phases.
“We are encouraging feedback on the project as presented,” Harmon told the Sentinel. Public works has presented the project proposal and design to the Sitka Economic Development Association and will be working with Melissa Henshaw, city public and government relations director, to get the word out and invite comments.
The PowerPoint that Harmon presented to the Assembly at the September 13 meeting is available at cityofsitka.com under “Assembly agendas and minutes.”
Comments are always welcome, Harmon said at publicworks@cityofsitka.org.
He added that the Assembly approved the project and revenue bond several years ago following an Assembly tour. The plan and design received positive reviews by the Assembly at the time, Harmon said.
The Assembly will be asked for approval for any remaining grant appropriations, which will include an opportunity for public input.
He said it’s too early to say what process-related requirements will be associated with future FAA grants. “They may require more stakeholder and public input and that typically comes through the environmental permitting. That is the typical avenue public and agency input and review is gathered on a federal or state-funded project,” he said.
