AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO COST $55M
Several key actions remain outstanding to ensure that the
new Beef Island airport is complete and ready for use when the building
is
handed over in a few months time, according to Airport Development Engineer
Stuart Logan.
These include the provision of sewage treatment for the
new terminal building and the implementation of the recommendations in
the
Airport Management Study. Mr. Logan was giving an update on the Phase
I development of the airport during a media briefing on
Thursday May 31st.
He said the sewage project is extremely urgent and requires
approval by government now to proceed with equipment ordering. “The
technical and environmental advice received on the ground conditions at
the site and the proximity to the shoreline indicates that for a
facility of this size, septic tanks are not the preferred solution,”
he stated.
Meantime, the Airport Management Study Preliminary Report
by BAe Systems of the U.K has recommended that an Interim
Manager be engaged to assist government with moving the project along
to completion. This consultant would be charged with
negotiating with airlines and service providers on fees, rents and levels
of service.
Other functions would include identifying and appointing
concessionaires for car park control, taxi services, car rental, airport
lounges,
concession booths, shops and catering facilities, ramp services, facility
maintenance and all other ancillary services. The Manager
would be responsible for managing the transition to the new terminal,
including training and public awareness and identifying and
training key airport management staff.
“This needs to be actioned immediately to allow time
for appointment of the concessionaires and the allocation of accommodation
to
be completed in a timely manner,” said Mr. Logan.
The public tender notice for the invitation of special public
area furniture required for the terminal building has been drafted and
will be
invited sometime this month. A locally based contractor has already prepared
designs of the landscaping, covering the full long term
plan over a period of several years.
“A decision has been made to limit the extent of landscaping
to be carried out in the first phase to funds available within the overall
project budget,” the Airport Development Engineer announced. He noted
that the timing of this work is controlled to some extent by
weather conditions. Tenders will be invited from local landscaping contractors
when the timing of the first phase is agreed.
The last contract to have been signed by government was that with Trinidad
Contractors Limited for the construction of the new
aircraft parking apron. When work begins in a few days, the small light
aircraft apron will be closed. “This will require careful
management of the use of the (old) apron for a period of approximately
four months, until some of the new apron is made available.”
The first stage of the new apron is to be completed by the end of September,
to provide new aircraft parking adjacent to the new
building. This apron is to be constructed across the existing airport
access road in the area between the hangars and existing terminal.
The next stage of the apron will be completed by mid December to meet
the increased peak season traffic. The final completion of the
apron, after demolition of the old terminal, is targeted for April 2002.
“After a slow start, work is now progressing swiftly
on the construction of the runway extension,” Mr. Logan reported.
He said most
of the rock blasting on the site has been completed and rock for the bund
core and armour protection is being delivered daily by
barge from Baugher’s Bay and the Skelton Quarry at Fish Bay.
He said the majority of this transport operation would be
completed this month after an intensive 3-month operation. The bund core
would then be closed, permitting the placing of the sand fill to commence.
Meantime, the placing of dredged sand fill is scheduled
for July/August. The dredging specialist is expected on site in early
June to
discuss his method of operation prior to the dredger arriving at the end
of the month. Arrangements are in hand to provide details and
sand samples from an alternative sand source that has been identified
by the Conservation and Fisheries Department.
“After analysis of this data and open discussions with
the contractor and his dredging expert on the contractual impact of the
two
sites, he will be directed to obtain the material from one of these options,”
Mr. Logan said. The completion of the runway extension is
targeted for the end of 2001.
The first contract to start on site in January last year
was Package 2. This covers the roads, car parks and services on the landside
of
the new terminal. This contract is nearing completion and will be finished
on time at the beginning of July.
“We are looking at the possibility of providing a temporary
pedestrian link from this car park to the existing terminal, so that the
severe parking shortage that is evident at the airport caused by extended
term parking, can be alleviated,” the official told the media.
Major progress can be seen on site. The new road access to this car park
and Trellis Bay should be opened this month. The new
terminal building structure is now recognizable, should be weather tight
by the end of June and should be completed for handover at
the end of September.
Plans are being formulated to start moving into the building
in early October and to have a soft opening using the building for
processing passengers in October/November. The total cost for the airport
development project is $40M. The total project cost, including land, engineers
and other fees, payments to utility companies etc., is $55M.
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