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By Steve Griffin, Deseret News

More on the: Pandemic could shorten Salt Lake airport rebuild by 2 years, save $300M

Katie McKellar - Deseret News - May 22nd

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/5/...-save-millions

For a gigantic construction project — which saw costs increase amid a red-hot construction market before the pandemic hit — that condensed timeline is a great opportunity to save money, and headaches of trying to demolish old facilities and build at the same time.But, Wyatt said, the plan “is not an easy thing. It comes with a certain amount of pain.” Airlines have been pushing for more gates, faster, “and I love their enthusiasm,” Wyatt told the airport board. “But my job, as well, is to look out for Salt Lake City, and I think this approach is going to leave us with greater flexibility, less (cost), faster delivery. And I just think we’re going to be in really good shape.”

Before the coronavirus changed the world, roughly 30,000 passengers were walking through Salt Lake City International Airport’s door every day, Wyatt said. That number then plummeted to roughly 1,500 passengers a day — which, ahead of Memorial Day weekend, was up to about 4,100 on Friday, Wyatt told the Deseret News. Though the airport is seeing a bit more travelers as states begin to open, Wyatt said airport officials don’t expect to return to their typical demand for at least three to five years. By then, the airport’s redevelopment should be complete. But if demand begins to spike earlier than expected, Wyatt said the airport can use a concept called “hard stand,” or parking airplanes in the airfield and transporting passengers from the plane by bus to the airport. “It’s not ideal,” Wyatt acknowledged, “but it’s a short-term way to absorb increases that maybe are not anticipated.”...

...Heading into the future, Wyatt said the new airport, once it opens in September, will be a positive experience for COVID-19-wary travelers. Not to mention, he added, the new airport is “just so much bigger,” so it will be easy for travelers to social distance.
From self bag tagging and electronic board passes, to motion-sensor soap dispensers and sink faucets, Wyatt said the new airport will have several new additions to ensure safe and clean travel. They airport will also have disinfecting devices that will clip on to the end of moving walkway rails so they’ll be sanitized frequently.

“It will feel different than people had anticipated an airport will feel,” Wyatt said, “but we also want to make sure we’re doing everything possible to keep our friends and neighbors safe.”

Hightech Signs employees work in the Hip & Humble shop space as construction of the new Salt Lake International Airport continues in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 22, 2020. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News


Construction continues on the new Salt Lake International Airport in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 22, 2020. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News


Installation of Gordon Huether’s “The Canyon” has started as construction continues at the new Salt Lake International Airport in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 22, 2020. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

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