A major renovation project geared toward enhancingthe travel experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airportpassed a milestone today as the Atlanta City Council awarded a contract toexpand the Concourse Dcenterpoint.

The goals of the project are to improve passengerflow; to enhance access to The Plane Train and the Transportation Mall; and toadd restaurant and retail options on Concourse D.

“This expansion project will dramatically improvethe overall experience for thousands of passengers traveling through ConcourseD every day,” said Aviation General Manager Louis Miller. “These types ofprojects are key to bolstering our reputation for top-notch customer service.”

The project will add nearly 60,000 square feet acrossfour levels of Concourse D. Two new escalators will be added between theTransportation Mall and main level of the concourse, along with three newelevators connecting the second and third levels. Many of the existingconcessions at the center point will be expanded, and the project will createnew outlets for food and beverage and mixed retail.

The project was awarded to Holder, Moody andBryson joint venture. Construction is expected to begin this fall and will bedone in phases to limit the impact on passengers. The project, which isestimated to cost about $37 million, is scheduled to be complete in spring2014.

A380 upgrades on the way at ATL

The Atlanta City Council today also approved alegislative task order for architectural and engineering services to widensections of taxiways and a runway to accommodate the double-decker,500-plus-passenger Airbus A380. When this work is completed, the airfield willmeet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for handling A380
operations.

The four-engine A380 could land and take off todayat Hartsfield-Jackson, but its outboard engines would extend beyond paved taxiway and runway surfaces. This would require manual inspections of theairfield for foreign object debris before and after each A380 operation.

“Enhancing our infrastructure to handle the A380strengthens the Airport’s position as an economic engine and helps secureAtlanta’s place as a world-class city and gateway to the United States,” Millersaid.

Sections of some midfield taxiways will be widenedfrom 145 feet to 162 feet, and a section of Runway 27R will be widened from 220feet to 250 feet.