Charleston International Airport parking transformation under way
September 20, 2018
Vision 2030 – From the Roadway to the Runway, the next step in Charleston International Airport’s transformation, is now under way in preparation for construction of a new 3,000-space airport parking garage.
“We knew long ago we needed more parking to accommodate our customers. That has become even more evident recently. Our deck and surface lot fill routinely now. This has caused us to open our remote parking more often and well before the busiest travel times during Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Paul G. Campbell Jr., executive director and CEO of the Charleston County Aviation Authority.
Construction started in July on the first phase of the airport parking expansion project. The cell phone waiting and remote/seasonal parking lots are getting an overhaul. More parking will be created and, more significantly, parking that will ease the crunch when construction begins on a new parking deck in early 2019.
This all comes on the heels of the now completed Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program (TRIP) that renovated the entire airport. By its completion in October 2016, planning was already under way on the airport parking expansion – which is part of a master plan of projects addressing the airport’s growth over the next five to 10 years. said Aviation Authority Deputy Director Hernan E. Peña Jr., who oversees airport engineering and construction.
“We saw nearly 4 million passengers in 2017 and expect even more in 2018. Continued steady enplanement growth means our airport needs to be ready to accommodate that growth,” Peña said.
Construction on the cell phone waiting and remote is expected to be done before Thanksgiving, one of the airport’s busiest travel times of the year.
Banks Construction is performing the first part of the parking renovation while LS3P Associates in Charleston serves as the architectural design firm.
For more information on Vision 2030 – From the Roadway to the Runway, go to our website at www.iflyCHS.com/RoadwaytoRunway.
CHS Vision 2030 – From the Roadway to the Runway Parking Transformation
Cell Phone Waiting Lot Expansion
The cell phone waiting lot was created in 2009. As more people rely on mobile technology in their daily lives, more people take advantage of the cell phone waiting lot when picking up passengers.
- Expand from 40 to 80 spaces.
- Improved lighting and landscaping.
- New ingress and egress to make parking easier.
Construction began this summer and will be complete in November 2018.
Remote Parking Lot Expansion
Construction began this summer to convert two seasonal, remote parking lots along Porsche Boulevard to a single parking facility. This lot will provide customer parking during the construction of a new five-story parking garage, which will be built on half of the current surface lot.
- A combined 1,476 remote lot parking spaces of which 176 are new.
- Improved lighting, landscaping.
- New exit toll booths and new entry and exits lanes.
- Four covered and lighted shuttle waiting areas.
Construction is expected to be completed in November 2018.
New Parking Deck
An architectural concept was approved in May 2018 and design work is under way. The existing parking deck was built in 2005 and has 1,268 parking spaces. The new parking deck will substantially increase available space for our customers.
- 3,000 parking spaces on five levels.
- Pedestrian passageway connecting the new and existing parking garages to the terminal
- Improved intuitive wayfinding
- State-of-the-art security and lighting
- Parking information technology
Construction is slated to begin in early 2019 and be completed by the end of 2020.
