World's Busiest Airport Eyes New Parking Decks, 6th Runway

Aug. 28--Travelers at the world's busiest airport are likely to see new parking garages and renovated terminals over the next decade, and possibly a sixth runway and more concourses after that, according to a master plan proposed by Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport officials Wednesday.

The plan is the airport's blueprint for growth through 2031 and includes a raft of major projects aimed at keeping Hartsfield-Jackson big enough and modern enough to maintain its role as a massive economic driver for metro Atlanta and the Southeast.

Master plans are not binding and some elements, such as another runway or more concourses, depend on how passenger growth plays out in coming years. But most big-ticket items in Hartsfield-Jackson's last master plan -- a fifth runway, separate international terminal and new rental car complex -- got built.

The billions of dollars needed to fund the new master plan would come from the airport itself: passenger facility charges, airline lease and landing fee payments, revenue from concessions and parking, as well as federal grants. The revenue streams are often used to back bonds or other construction financing.

Some projects would affect businesses and homeowners around the airport and will likely generate discussion and debate in coming months and years.

The full plan would involve relocating numerous facilities, including Delta's cargo operation, hotels and other businesses in College Park near the southwest corner of the airport, some park-ride parking spaces, and ground transportation waiting areas.

Airport officials discussed their draft master plan at an Atlanta city council transportation committee meeting Wednesday, adding that they will continue work on it in coming months. That will include more detailed analysis and a public meeting to be held Sept. 18.

"This is still a work in progress," said Hartsfield-Jackson planning director Tom Nissalke.

The city of Atlanta owns Hartsfield-Jackson, but the airport funds its own operations and there are federal restrictions from using airport revenue for non-airport uses.

One of the more urgent projects is to tear down and expand the domestic terminal's parking garages. The airport plans to replace both the North and South four-story parking decks with garages twice as large, with eight or nine levels.

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World's Busiest Airport Eyes New Parking Decks, 6th Runway