A 13-month construction project to make upgrades to Edmonton International Airport’s departure road and ramp is now complete and both will be reopened to the general public on Thursday morning.
In a news release issued Wednesday, EIA said the road will be reopened at 9 a.m.
“Thank you to our incredible community for your support and patience over the past year,” said Peter Agnew, EIA’s vice-president of infrastructure, facilities and airside operations. “By working closely with our partners and team members, we’re proud to share that the project is complete and will be open for our busy holiday season.
“Important upgrades like this to our terminal help propel our commitment to exceptional passenger experience and support the enjoyable journey that travellers can expect at YEG.”
The infrastructure project began in September 2023 and saw the elevated departure road and ramp be closed to all traffic while the lower level’s arrival road was open only to commercial vehicles and for passengers with accessibility needs.
The airport relocated its passenger pickup and drop-off areas to a spot east of its Easy Parkade, and airport officials advised people to arrive several minutes early to account for the longer walk to the main airport building.
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During the winter months, the airport had offered a complimentary shuttle going to or from the terminal building.
EIA officials said the work completed over the last year has resulted in “aesthetic improvements, increased accessibility, added safety features such as safety bollards in front of the terminal, and increased traffic flow by expanding the exit ramp from one to two lanes.”
According to EIA, the project saw 7.5 million kilograms of reinforced concrete be poured, 325,338 kilograms of rebar be used and required 91,000 hours of work to complete.
“The enhanced Departures Roadway will be re-established as a complimentary drop-off area for passengers, and the Arrivals Roadway will return to function as a paid, short-term pick-up area called Arrivals Paid,” EIA officials said. “Complimentary pickup and alternative drop-off will also continue to be available at the Pickup and Drop-off area, now called Arrivals Free, that was established for the project east of the parkade.
“The remaining new infrastructure that was added to account for the closure of the Departures Roadway, such as the Park and Wait Area and the Family Loading and Unloading Zone, will continue to be accessible to the public free of charge.”
The airport serves about 8.2 million passengers per year.
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