The Boise Airport rolled out their master plan back in 2010, that plan laid out what the airport needed to do in order to keep up with the growth in the Treasure Valley and this year the City of Boise has budgeted several improvements for the airport.
The spending on airport infrastructure in this year's budget more than triples the amount spent last year with the amount of capital rising from $14 million to $58 million.
“The airport had a record year last year, we saw over 3.5 million passengers," said Boise Airport Marketing Manager Sean Briggs. "This year through May it’s up eleven percent, so we are continuing to grow this year.”
The big-ticket item for the airport includes building a new cargo facility that will consolidate all the cargo in one area separate from the terminal while also making room for larger cargo shipments, the total cost $32.2 million.
The airport will also relocate the car rental service in an effort to make room for another concourse, $2.5 million, replace the 25-year-old plaza where cars exit the parking area, $1.2 million and a new five-story parking complex for employees, $900,000.
"That will open up additional parking for the public who will be able to park where the employees currently park," said Briggs.
These improvements aim to maintain a low rate for airline services which helps bring more services to the Treasure Valley, last year Frontier offered a flight to Denver, this year Southwest is flying people to San Jose.
"Which gives our passengers more options on the places they can fly," said Briggs. "It usually creates better rates as well because it creates competition on those routes.”
The airport improvements will be part of the City of Boise's enterprise funds, which do not come from the taxpayers, the city also sets aside money in this fund for solid waste (the recycling program) and water renewal projects.
