At long last, construction begins on San Diego airport’s $3.4B Terminal 1 overhaul

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Construction began this week for the long-planned overhaul of Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport, a $ 3.4 billion project that will eventually provide 11 additional gates and a new three-lane airport access road.

Although design and construction contracts were officially approved by airport officials last month, blades couldn’t be turned until the Federal Aviation Administration signed a state environmental impact assessment. The San Diego Regional Airport Authority was notified on October 22 that the FAA had determined that the project could move forward and concluded that it would “have no significant environmental impact that cannot be mitigated and is the most reasonable, the most feasible and prudent alternative. ”

This final hurdle paved the way for the construction of the largest sole proprietorship in the history of the airport. The renovation of Terminal 1, along with the planned airfield improvements, costs three times the cost of renovating Terminal 2, which was $ 1 billion eight years ago.

The construction work will initially be largely limited to demolition work, including the removal of old empty cargo buildings and the building maintenance complex. Other early-stage work includes relocating utilities, a major undertaking, said airport spokeswoman Sabrina LoPiccolo.

The preparatory work on the new access road is expected to begin shortly, which airport planners say will remove 45,000 vehicle journeys per day from North Harbor Drive. And by next month the contractor, who is overseeing the construction of a new runway and associated improvements to the airfield, will begin removing sidewalks and utility work, LoPiccolo said.

The project, which is under development for nearly a decade, aims to replace Terminal 1 from the 1960s with a state-of-the-art facility with 30 gates, greatly improved food and retail concessions, and a baggage handling system that will be able to handle up to Process 2,000 bags per hour. An outside deck in front of the future Food Hall offers a panoramic view of the harbor and the downtown skyline. In addition, a multi-storey car park with 5,200 parking spaces is being built, as well as an elevated departure route similar to the one that serves Terminal 2.

The first 19 gates in the new terminal are scheduled to open in mid-2025, and the old terminal will be demolished. The additional 11 gates should be ready by the end of 2027.

The year-long construction project will affect visitors to the airport at different times. In the near future, officials are advising people to consider the following:

From November 1st

The parking lot in front of the administration building of the airport authority is closed. Employees and visitors to this building will now park in the former long-term parking lot on North Harbor Drive east of the administration building.

Carbon Health, the airport authority’s COVID-19 travel clearance testing provider, has moved to an office in Terminal 2 West next to United Airlines’ baggage service office near Carousel 6. Customers should park in the Terminal 2 car park and follow the signs to the location for Carbon Health COVID tests. Appointments are required and the test site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

From mid-December:

The cell phone site is being relocated but there are currently no details on where it will be.

From January:

Around 500 parking spaces will be deleted on the site of Terminal 1. Passengers flying from Terminal 1 should use the Terminal 2 car park.

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