BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor International Airport has a plan for how to use the $14.2 million in federal funding it received last week through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by Congress last fall.
Bangor International Airport Director Tony Caruso told NEWS CENTER Maine the airport will use the new funding to relocate and expand its security screening area, replace a connector between its domestic and international terminals, and upgrade its aging HVAC system.
"It's needed," Caruso said when asked about the importance of the $14.2 million award. "Bangor over the last several years has had some significant growth, which is great to see, but we need to increase some capacity here.”
The airport does not yet have an exact timeline of when the work will start. Caruso said the airport would schedule the construction in a way that would minimize the impact on passengers and airport operations.
“The airport really is an economic engine for the entire region,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who announced the award last Thursday, said. "It’s really important for the airport to keep modernizing and growing as it continues to serve an expanding passenger base.”
Caruso said the changes coming to the airport's security screening area would make going through TSA more efficient and allow the airport to add a third or even fourth lane.
“Another key part of this project is building and installing a connector allowing the air carriers to utilize a few of our international gates for domestic operations. And [that] immediately will increase the flexibility and the efficiency of our terminal operations,” Caruso explained.
Bangor International Airport is also expected to repave its entire 11,000-foot runway next summer.
For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app.