Airports

Flying High in Oakland

Airport Is Spreading Its Cramped Wings

Oakland International Airport is in the midst of a $300-million improvement project to accommodate record-breaking passenger traffic based on record low-cost carrier growth. Turner Construction is managing most of the construction now underway, including the $150-million expansion of Terminal 2.

 

The Port of Oakland is in the midst of the largest airport improvement program in its history, a $300-million project that involves expansion and remodeling.

The airport needs to expand to accommodate growing traffic, with thousands of passengers taking advantage of the airport's successful strategy of attracting low-cost carriers.

"We're in the final stages of developing an airport master plan to accommodate the growth and make changes to accommodate new capacity," said Jerry Serventi, director of engineering for the Port of Oakland. "We expect to handle 14.4 million passengers this year and have had steady growth the last seven years."

Oakland airport was originally designed to handle eight million passengers a year, but a boom in flights brought the number of passengers to 14.1 million in 2004, an increase of 4.1 percent over the previous year.

"It's affordable to operate at Oakland for low-cost carriers and that's the reason we attract those carriers," said Rosemary Barnes, airport spokeswoman. "We always try to make sure we are the low-cost airport in the region and make sure it is affordable for carriers to operate here."

Much of the Oakland airport improvement and expansion work has already been completed, including a new center for in-airport rental car companies at the North Field (completed in August 2003) and much of the $120 million in improvements of the airport's roadways.

The widening of 98th Avenue, including a new underpass into the airport and construction of the Doolittle Drive and Airport Drive interchange, was a major upgrade. Traffic now enters the airport from 98th Avenue or Hegenberger Road merging onto the new section of roadway.

Airport Drive, the airport's main roadway, was widened to a six-lane parkway, connecting Bay Farm Island in the city of Alameda to the airport and Interstate 880 (completed in spring 2004).

Work was expected to start in October on a $68-million terminal roadway and curbside project, handled by Turner Construction of New York, which is managing the project from its office in Oakland. The work includes the repaving and widening of Airport Drive, including inbound, outbound and return to terminal roadways, and improvement of adjacent access roads.

New and longer curbsides at the terminals will accommodate arriving and departing passengers, and a new curbside section will be used for hotel shuttle buses.

"There will be a fourth curbside added along the terminals to relieve congestion and that will help streamline the flow," Barnes said.

The work, which also includes repaving of the airport's main surface parking lot in front of the terminals, is expected to be completed in summer 2007.

That project replaces a proposed seven-story, 6,000-space garage that was deemed too expensive after Turner Construction estimated it would cost $186 million--$52 million more than airport officials had budgeted. In January, the garage plan was scrapped.

The decision is part of a modification of an ambitious $1.4-billion airport expansion program created in 1997, Barnes said. The plan has been scaled back and a new master plan is in the works because the airline industry has dramatically changed since the 1997 plan was written.

The turmoil in the airline industry hit Oakland after United Airlines' decision to shut down its 40-acre Oakland airport maintenance facility, which includes 1,000 stalls in nine acres of parking.

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"When United pulled out of the maintenance center two or three years ago it opened up an area for a possible new terminal and parking, which is another reason we scrapped the garage plan," Barnes said. "Currently, we're working on a new master plan that will take us through to 2025, including building a third terminal. It should go to port commissioners at end of the year for approval."

Meanwhile, work continues on the $150-million Terminal 2 project, which began in spring 2004 and is expected to be completed in fall 2006. Turner Construction is the construction manager-at-risk.

The Terminal 2 project includes construction of a new concourse with five boarding gates and waiting areas to be used by Southwest Airlines; a food, beverage and shopping area; expanded ticketing; and security and baggage-claim areas.

Mike O'Brien, Turner's senior vice president, said the projects at the airport are slightly ahead of schedule and under budget. The new Southwest boarding gates, for example, will open six months ahead of time.

"I think the port now realizes the efficiency and savings associated with the construction manager-at-risk process," O'Brien said. "This is a leap of faith for a local public agency like the port, but they were convinced after seeing the savings and timetable advantages."

O'Brien added that Turner doubled the port's goal of using at least 30 percent of local subcontractors on the projects.

Meanwhile, the airport is embarking on reconstruction of an apron--the area where airplanes park--at Hangers 1-5 at North Field. The $12.8-million project was awarded to Proven Management Inc. of San Francisco.

The airport is also in the first phase of reconstruction of the east apron between Terminals 1 and 2--a project awarded to Berkeley-based O.C. Jones and Sons Inc. The $12.6-million project is expected to be completed by June.

The second phase of the east apron project--a contract worth an estimated $23.5 million--is expected to go to bid in May.