Passenger ‘relief' coming soon to airport
The Yuma County Airport Authority will be going out to bid in the near future for a project that should be welcome news for air travelers.
The project will expand and modify the secure passenger seating area in the Yuma International Airport terminal, to include adding restrooms to the area.
Currently, passengers either need to use the restroom shortly before entering the secured area, or have to go through security again.
The project will also include moving the entrance of the secured area to the east of the terminal and expanding it to provide additional space for TSA to install new screening equipment.
The airport was awarded a $180,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division to help fund the project.
“We were thrilled when ADOT notified us that funding was available for this project,” said Gladys Wiggins, deputy airport director. “This project has been a longtime goal of ours as a courtesy for our passengers, especially those who have small children who always seem to wait until the last minute.”
A local architectural firm, Patterson Thompson Architects, was awarded the project design, which is near completion.
The project will be put out for construction bidding in late July, Wiggins said. “We expect construction to begin in August and last about four months.”
The terminal project is one of several planned for Yuma International Airport over the coming months.
Yuma International Airport has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for improvements to Taxiway Zulu, a project expected to begin in mid-July, airport officials said. BTZ, doing business as Zeller's, was awarded the contract.
The north-south taxiway is heavily used by commercial airlines, corporate aircraft and the general aviation community.
Meanwhile, the Yuma County Airport Authority is accepting bids for construction of the Aviation Industrial Center, which is to be built in the Defense Contractor Complex. It will combine offices and two hangars that can be used by defense contractors for short- and long-term projects.
The Airport Authority was awarded a $3.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, and will finance the remainder of the approximately $4.5 million project.
In addition, Million Air, the airport's fueler, intends to erect an 18,000-square-foot speculation hangar to be named for Amelia Earhart in the Defense Contractor Complex.
Also, Bill Sims, who built the Big Adventure Hangar, is pursuing plans for another such private venture. It would be Building E, to be located next to the Hero Hangars.
