Spending continued Wednesday on passenger terminal improvements at the Gary/Chicago International Airport as officials continue talks with commercial airliners to provide passenger service.
The airport authority approved a $3.66 million contract with Gariup Construction, of Gary, for a passenger terminal parking revenue control system and for passenger boarding bridges.
The airport hasn’t offered passenger service since Allegiant Airlines left in 2015.
Dan Vicari, airport executive director, said the project drew five bidders with Gariup being the lowest.
Amy Ciolek, project manager from Mead & Hunt Inc. consultants, said there will be two passenger boarding bridges with six-foot walkways. Passengers will be sheltered in the bridges while boarding, not walking on the tarmac.
She said parking lot work includes the removal of the guard shack on the parking lot’s west side and replacing it with an automated parking pay system that uses credit cards.
She said the parking lot work should be completed in late April while the boarding bridges have a November completion target.
After the meeting, Vicari said the terminal improvements take about one year. He said when the airport secures commercial service, the terminal upgrades need to be ready.
He expressed confidence in landing a carrier next year.
“The demand is going to be there, yes,” said Vicari.
Authority chairman Tom Collins Jr. agreed with Vicari.
“I think in this situation, the cart has to come before the horse,” said Collins, who added officials were meeting with airlines.
“The landscape of aviation right now is changing, so we think once this shuffles out, the opportunities will come around and we want to be ready.
“We don’t want to be playing from behind,” he said.
In March, the airport finalized a $16.55 million bond sale that — paired with grants and local funds — are financing the terminal improvements, construction of a new hangar and an expanded cargo and logistics center.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter at the Post-Tribune.
