ARIZONA STATE EDITION
A Supplement to:
®
July 23 2017 Vol. II • No. 15
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Arizona Connection – Debbie Hansen – 1-702-239-0348 – dhansen@cegltd.com
Tucson Airport Undergoing $28.3M Modernization Project By Lori Tobias CEG CORRESPONDENT
With technology constantly evolving, there’s no doubt the world is a consistently changing place. And perhaps nowhere is that more obvious than at the airport. At the Tucson International Airport, those changes are fueling a $28.3 million project aimed at making the travel experience more efficient and more comfortable. “The airport experience today is different from 20 years ago,” said Dave Ollanik, project director of Sundt Construction Inc., the firm leading the terminal renovation. “Twenty years ago, you got to the airport, checked in, and had a cigarette and drink at the bar. Today, there’s a whole different approach to the traveling experience.” The airport was built in 1963 and has undergone several renovations, three handled by Sundt. Work on the current project began in the fall of 2016 and is expected to be completed by December this year. “The Terminal Optimization Program (TOP), which will go by its campaign name, A Brighter TUS, includes a variety of termi-
The airport was built in 1963 and has undergone several renovations.
nal facility improvements, including relocation and improved capacity at the Security Screening Check Points, enhanced conces-
sion and revenue opportunities, the upgrade of critical building systems, and maximizing use of under-utilized space,” according to a
fact sheet released by the Tucson Airport Authority. “The completed project will extend the terminal useful life and provide TUS customers with a world class experience.” The project involves two major components, Ollanik said. “One is the enhanced security checkpoints. The biggest issue is the old equipment and the limited space that was allocated to those functions. You were squeezed into this narrow throat, very congested, long wait times. It was very inefficient. The check point has been expanded and opened up to accommodate that.” The security checkpoints are being relocated to either end of the terminal, with checkpoints expanded from three to four lanes to improve queing. Once travelers get through security they’ll find new concessionaires, a business center, children’s play area and composure areas for passengers to make the necessary adjustments post-security. “There is no square footage added,” Ollanik noted. “We eliminated some of the check-in counters. This is purely a reconfiguration of space to be more efficient. With all of the elctronic ticketing, the presence needsee AIRPORT page 6
First Bridge Girders in Place for South Mountain Freeway The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway continues taking shape with the installation of bridge girders, together weighing more than two Boeing 747 jets, at the future interchange with 17th Avenue in the Ahwatukee Foothills. The girders are the first placed for the Arizona Department of Transportation’s South Mountain Freeway project, which will require a total of nearly 1,100 girders on 40 bridge structures throughout the 22-mi.-long corridor. During three overnight closures for the work completed the week-
ADOT photo
With girder placement complete at the 17th Avenue interchange, crews are set to place 16 girders at the 40th Street overpass, also in the Pecos corridor.
end of July 8 to 9 at 17th Avenue, two 450-ton cranes lifted and placed each of the 17 steel-rein-
forced concrete girders, which are 145 ft. long and weigh up to 131,000 lbs. Each girder took
about an hour to hoist and place. Crews will return in August to pour concrete to form the bridge
deck. With girder placement complete at the 17th Avenue interchange, crews are set to place 16 girders at the 40th Street overpass, also in the Pecos corridor. Overnight closures of 40th Street between Briarwood Terrace and Pecos Road were needed July 10 to 12, to place bridge girders for the 40th Street interchange. The South Mountain Freeway, which is scheduled to open in late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needsee BRIDGE page 2