Fairbanks International Airport, Alaska, USA

Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is a modest but essential public airport (owned by Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities), which is situated three miles from the centre of Fairbanks in Alaska, USA.

The airport, which covers 3,470 acres (1,404ha), has served the area well for a number of years and has previously undergone three terminal expansions, the latest being in 1985. There are three runways (the longest being 1L/19R which is 11,800ft, 3,597m) at the airport and a designated area for landing seaplanes.

The airport, which is open all year round, serves a number of passenger airlines for business and tourism (Alaska Airlines) and is also an important cargo hub for the area (often being used as a refuelling stop for polar-bound aircraft).

FAIRBANKS TERMINAL PROJECT

To keep ahead of passenger traffic and to rejuvenate the airport's public face there is currently a terminal expansion project underway. The project planning was started in October 2003 and the planning was completed by April 2004.

The project, which started in April 2006 will see an increase in the number of jet gates from five to six and will also give a new expanded terminal building with improved facilities. The timeline of the project is for completion in 2009.

The expansion involves the construction of a new terminal building (80,000ft²) adjoining the older building constructed in 1985 (65,000ft²). Construction work began in summer 2007 with steel work.

The new terminal will be ready to move into in spring 2008 and facilities such as check-in, baggage screening, retailing and car rental will have been transferred by then. Following this the older 1985 terminal will undergo extensive renovation (complete gutting, renovation and reconfiguration including mechanical and electrical systems) until 2009, and a part of the 1969 terminal will be demolished to make way for new employee parking.

The oldest terminal will be retained as a commuter terminal during this period. Upon final completion of the integrated new and refurbished 1985 terminals in summer 2009 the commuter terminal (oldest 1959 terminal building) will be demolished.

GOALS

The terminal project will provide a new terminal building with up-to-date seismic standards. The mechanical and electrical systems at the airport will also be updated to improve efficiency and safety. The car rental lot and car park will be enlarged to provide more space for passengers.

The baggage handling system capacity will be expanded for future increase in passenger traffic. Congestion at the airport kerbside departure area will reduced by creating a bus staging area for use by hotel transports and public buses.

The new terminal will also give more space in the arrivals area for passengers and the architecture and design will make full use of natural light giving the building a new functional atmosphere.

CONSTRUCTION

The architect for the terminal area development project is Charles Bettisworth and Co of Fairbanks. The project management team is from RISE Alaska LLC and the construction is being carried out by Davis Contractors and Engineers Inc of Anchorage.

The terminal project will make use of a construction manager at risk project delivery system method.

The construction began with the building of new bathrooms in gate 8 (adjacent to the new terminal) and the required relocation of the gate 8 jetway to gate 7.

The process has also required the relocation of roads and the reconfiguration of employee parking to accommodate construction staging.

OTHER FAIRBANKS PROJECTS

There are two other projects at the airport at the current time both of which were started in mid-2006. These include the relocation of the cargo apron and the completion of taxiway Alpha.

In 2006 the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) approved a grant of $21.7m for the construction of a new cargo apron in the southwest area of the airport. This will replace some of the apron parking which will be lost due to the new terminal construction.

The taxiway Alpha project was completed in the third quarter of 2006 and involved an increase in the distance between the taxiway and adjacent runway by 50ft. Taxiway Alpha will be used as a temporary runway during the refurbishment of runway 1L-19R in 2008-2009.