SALT LAKE CITY -- For the first time, the public is now getting to see what the Salt Lake City International Airport will look like after the renovation.
Construction on the nearly decade-long, $1.8 billion project is now underway.
The renderings released Tuesday morning show what it will be like to navigate the three-story terminal and the 4,000-foot linear concourse.
The new design includes moving walkways, art to showcase Utah’s natural beauty and a new parking garage with double the amount of spaces.
It’ll also feature more amenities like shops, restaurants, bars and seating areas.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said they’ll add more security checkpoint stations, as well as a special meet-and-greet area separate from baggage claim.
Becker said Tuesday that the new airport renderings showcase what this terminal is all about: convenience, sustainability and inspiration.
This new terminal will set the standard for sustainability, he said. They’ll work to make sure the building produces as much energy as it uses, likely through solar panels.
“[It] really will be the first airport in the country to achieve net zero status,” he said.
As far as the inspiration, Becker said they’ve made sure to plan out the art and design concepts from step one.
“We are incorporating art that captures some of the landscapes and canyon characteristics of our beautiful mountains and deserts,” he said.
Floor to ceiling, windows will show off the landscape. The main area of the airport is even called, The Canyon.
They’ll build while the current airport is still running, which airport executive director Maureen Riley admits is quite the undertaking.
“There will be a lot of plates spinning in the air at the same time,” she said.
But, she added, they’re prepared to handle it, as that balancing act plays out for the next five years until their designs become reality.
The project is funded by airport revenues and federal grants. Riley said no taxpayer money will be used to build the new facility.
They expect to have the terminal finished by 2020.
Starting as early as Oct. 1, travelers will notice changes as construction ramps up.
The exit ramp from the loading/unloading area of the parking garage on the second floor will permanently close.
Airport officials said anyone picking up and dropping off passengers should do so at the main terminals.
