Florida Construction News staff writer
Construction of the Southwest Florida International Airport terminal expansion reached a milestone this week as crews placed the final steel beam on the project’s second phase.
The expansion, the largest public works project in county history, adds more than 513,000 square feet of new terminal space supported by 12,000 tons of steel. About 500 workers have been on site daily as the multiyear project continues.
Work includes construction of a new 14-gate Concourse E, designed to accommodate an additional 10,000 to 15,000 passengers per day. Plans also call for airside improvements, roadway modifications, new passenger boarding bridges, nine TSA checkpoint lanes and 37,000 square feet of new retail space. The concourse is being built to allow future expansion to 19 gates.
Construction teams have been using digital models, 3D scanning and other tools to coordinate work and track installation accuracy, according to project documents.
Phase 2 aims to expand the airport’s capacity and improve passenger circulation and security screening. Once complete, the upgrades are expected to modernize terminal operations and support long-term growth at RSW.
Suffolk is serving as the construction manager for the project on behalf of the port authority.
