Salt Lake City International Airport Terminal Redevelopment ...

CHAPTER 1 PURPOSE AND NEED
to increased maintenance requirements and costs to the Airport and its users. In addition, as
the airline and airport industry have experienced dramatic changes during the last 50 years,
the existing terminal complex shown in Exhibit 1-1 has become functionally obsolete.
Specifically, the Proposed Action would meet the following needs:
Problems with Existing Aging Infrastructure. The existing terminal complex is 50 years
old, requires extensive ongoing maintenance, is not energy efficient, does not provide
current airline industry standard LOSs, and does not meet current seismic design
standards. Section 1.2 provides additional information regarding the need to replace
aging infrastructure.
Respond to Changes in the Air Transportation System. Since the terminal facilities at
SLC were planned and built, the aviation industry has experienced significant changes
in the way airline passenger traffic is handled. The introduction of the hub and spoke
system following airline deregulation in 1979 made the ability of passengers to transfer
quickly from an arriving aircraft to a departing aircraft a key requirement. More
recently, airports have had to increase the space allocated to meet increasingly stringent
security requirements and changes in baggage handling and delivery demands.
Growing pressure on public funding sources has increased the need to provide
adequate, well-positioned space for retail concessions, both to generate revenue and to
enhance passenger convenience. The advent of ticketless travel has decreased the area
required for ticketing and check-in. The likelihood that air service will continue to
evolve emphasizes the need to design flexible facilities to avoid functional obsolescence.
Section 1.3 provides additional information regarding changes in the air transportation
system since the terminals were planned and built.
Enhance Operational Efficiency. The existing terminal configuration requires
redundant facilities for passenger check-in and baggage screening, baggage claim,
enplaning and deplaning curbsides, and associated mechanical systems. Section 1.4
provides additional information regarding the need to enhance operational efficiency.
The Salt Lake City Department of Airports (SLCDA), the Airport sponsor, proposes to begin
construction of the Proposed Action in 2013 (design starting in 2012) and complete
construction in about 2024. The sponsor is requesting the following actions from the FAA as
the lead federal agency:
FAA acceptance of the Final EA
FAA issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
FAA unconditional approval of the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) for the TRP
Possible issuance of Airport Improvement Program grants for construction
1.2 Problems with Existing Aging Infrastructure
The advanced age of the existing facilities increases the effort and expense of operating and
maintaining the terminal complex and, because these facilities are not as energy efficient as
contemporary construction, increases energy consumption compared to modern terminal
facilities. In addition, the existing facilities do not meet current seismic design standards.
Finally, several components of the existing complex do not provide an adequate passenger
1-2 RDD/102790005 (NLH4349.DOCX)
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