The Golden Triangle Regional Airport will soon begin its terminal expansion project after securing the final 2.5% of funding it needed to complete it.
Executive Director Matt Dowell told The Dispatch the construction project will begin in a few months. The airport recently received a $432,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to assist with the $12 million project.
GTRA previously received an $11.3 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration in July 2022 to build out the terminal, which covered 95% of the project. The airport is also putting up 2.5% from its passenger revenue.
“It’s a great feeling to get all the funding pieces together for the project,” Dowell said. “The state funding is very important to airports like ours where they can help us with our funding so we don’t have the burden of trying to come up with such a large amount on an impactful project.”
Dowell said the project was initially slated to begin construction in May, but it experienced slight delays in securing a contractor after opening bids in April.
Columbus-based West Brothers Construction was awarded the project last week. It will take 18 to 24 months to complete, Dowell said.
“We are in the process of trying to get a construction schedule in place,” Dowell said. “… We’re just working through some of those details. We plan on keeping the terminal open while construction is happening, so there’s a lot of moving parts.”
The project will include a second-floor area built on top of the concrete roof lining extending out from the existing terminal, a rearrangement of the waiting area, installation of two escalators and an elevator.
It will also include a jet bridge, which is an enclosed ramp-like tunnel that many airports use to move passengers from the terminal of the airplane. GTRA now uses an outdoor ramp.
West Brothers Construction co-owner Rob Winklepleck said the project consists of three phases.
Phase one will create a temporary space for passenger screenings, boarding and arrivals on the first floor to make room for work. Once the setup is complete, the company will begin phase two by knocking down walls and then building the upstairs terminal area.
Phase three will clean up the new facilities, remove any temporary walls and put back equipment into the terminal.
“It’s always exciting to be part of a project that enhances the community and economy where we live,” Winklepleck said. “Like most businesses, we’re thankful for all the work that we are awarded. We are proud of all our projects, but the ones at home, working with local businesses and community representatives feel a little different.”
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