Idaho Falls Regional Airport to start $45 million expansion project
A $45 million expansion project will soon change the way Idaho Falls Regional Airport looks and functions.
Starting in early 2024 the state’s second-busiest airport will undergo an 18,000-square-foot terminal renovation and expansion.
The work will expand and replace the outbound baggage system as well as expand the ticketing and central lobby areas and other spaces for essential airport functions, a city of Idaho Falls news release said. Construction also will provide needed upgrades to the terminal’s mechanical, electrical, communication and plumbing systems.
The project, which is being paid for with federal airport funds, is expected to finish in 2026.
The construction bid was awarded to Clayco, a national full-service, fully integrated design-build construction firm based in Overland, Missouri. It currently is working on projects at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Engine Facility in Huntsville, Alabama, among others.
On its website Clayco said the Idaho Falls airport expansion will meet the region’s aviation demand over the next 30 years. Idaho Falls-based Construction Solutions Company will work with Clayco on the project “with the two firms working as a part of a single integrated team to complete the work,” the release said.
This project “marks a significant milestone towards fulfilling our vision of an efficient and premier travel experience for passengers,” Mayor Rebecca Casper said in the release. “This project allows us to expand future travel opportunities for passengers from throughout the entire region as IDA continually looks to bring more routes and airlines to the airport. We are also thrilled this project can be completed without placing any burden on our local property taxpayers.”
In 2022, Idaho Falls Regional Airport set a record with more than 628,000 passengers.
“The Idaho Falls Airport is a vital entry point to the city, and our objective is to align the airport’s aesthetic appeal with the natural wonders of Idaho, while also providing key upgrades that will greatly enhance the functionality and operational efficiency of the airport,” said Mac Glinn, Senior Vice President and Aviation Business Unit Leader at Clayco in the release. “Our commitment to IDA and the community is to deliver this project in a safe, timely and cost-effective manner. …”
The airport will remain open to passenger service throughout the phased project, the release said.