The Duluth Airport Authority board of directors has decided to allocate $90,000 of the $1.8M in design services for a new passenger terminal at Duluth International (DLH). The other 95% of the funding will be provided by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“For several years the Duluth airport has been working to address post-9/11 security mandates and increasing FAA requirements, as well as needing to greatly improve efficiencies and passenger flow throughout the facility,” says Brian Ryks, executive director of the authority. “The fact that the FAA is providing 95% of our initial design funding shows how important it is in the federal government’s eyes to get these challenges addressed quickly.”
The project is estimated to cost $65M, which will include the passenger terminal, entrance roadway, parking areas and an aircraft apron. The airport has gotten commitments for more than half of the total of its contribution.
“We realize that money is scarce in the current economy, but the Duluth International Airport still needs to move forward with design so we’re ready to begin construction as soon as possible,” says Ryks. “It’s not a matter of if a new terminal will be constructed, but when. The project will add hundreds of local construction jobs and be a stimulus to our local economy.”
