For Immediate Release
December 14, 2023
Contact:
Office of Corporate Communications and Media Relations
(678) 920-0857
Hartsfield-Jackson Concourse D Widening Project Underway
Beam-raising ceremony celebrates project accomplishment
ATLANTA— Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) today celebrated a milestone in one of the Airport’s most ambitious projects to date. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens celebrated with ATL General Manager Balram “B” Bheodari the raising of a 900-pound steel beam on the first module of the new addition to Concourse D. The unique building technique will widen and modernize the concourse while maintaining operations at the world's busiest and most efficient airport.
“This project will allow us to meet future capacity demands while enhancing ATL’s role as a leader in the industry,” said Airport General Manager Balram Bheodari. “The unique requirements of building what is, in effect, a new concourse while maintaining operations will be a challenge we’ll overcome through collaboration, planning, and professionalism.”
Opened in 1980, Concourse D is one of five original concourses of ATL’s Domestic Terminal. It is the Airport’s narrowest, with a circulation corridor of 18 feet and hold room (gate area) seating for 5,400 passengers. The concourse was originally designed with 40 gates to handle 19 regional aircraft and 21 larger aircraft. Even after renovations over the decades, Concourse D remains dramatically undersized, given its passenger use.
Airport officials determined that Concourse D needed to be larger and wider, but were challenged with completing the project without disrupting operations. After consulting with and visiting facilities that underwent similar projects, it was decided to build 19 modules outside of airside operations and attach them to the existing structure.
The 19 modules will be built offsite on a six-acre modular construction lot adjacent to the facility. Once each module is complete, it will be individually transported across the airfield overnight to Concourse D for installation.
Click here for a look at the updated Concourse D renderings and an animation depicting the module movement process.
Once completed, the modernized Concourse D will have:
Larger hold rooms twice their original size, with increased seating to 6,400 Corridor width expanded by 29 feet Ceiling height raised by 18 feet 75% increase in boarding level square footage New restrooms twice their original size New building systems 34 aircraft positions for Group III aircraft (8 fewer due to larger capacity jets)
Key Dates
Construction of first prefabricated modules in December 2023 Move first set of modules in late Spring 2024 Project completion by Summer 2029
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
ATL is the first airport in history to serve more than 100 million passengers in one year and continues to top passenger totals worldwide. The Airport boasts an annual direct economic impact of $66 billion in the state. A frequent recipient of awards of excellence, ATL is recognized for its leadership in concessions, operations, sustainability, architectural engineering, and construction. For more information, visit www.atl.com.
