It would seem that the new PR strategy on the single-terminal design is to break the 1.2 billion dollar price tag into smaller, bite-sized chunks. I’m sure the numbers in today’s KC Star article are more accurate than the “sticker stock” headline but will look forward to seeing what is “officially” presented to the mayor’s task force in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, we learn that the terminal building itself is now only half of the cost of the project. More remarkable though is their saying publicly that they think it will cost even less than projected which of course would be a first in the history of public capital improvement projects. The only time any public building project comes in less than projected is when it is not built.

So here is the new rundown:

• New terminal: $680 million

• Parking garage for 7,500 cars and commercial vehicle plaza: $230 million

• Demolition of Terminals A and B: $20 million

• Airfield and de-icer improvements: $160 million

• Roadways to reroute traffic during construction and new roadways for new terminal: $80 million

• Central utilities plant and new utilities: $30 million

Note the 7,500 space parking garage. Not mentioned of course is the fact that with the demolition of Terminals A & B comes the demolition of two parking garages totaling about 4,000 spaces. It would seem that simply adding on to the existing parking garages would solve the commonly voiced parking issue in Terminal B. That or moving Delta to another terminal. Both options would save 10’s of millions.

Note the airfield and de-icer improvements. This is a much more reasonable number than the $500 million number someone tossed around a few weeks ago. Again, it will be interesting to see what number appears at the task force. I recently read in the most current airport capital improvements plan available online that the cargo plane area was done for a modest $9.5 million.

Upgrade Glycol Collection Facility, $9,500,000. This will collect the de-icing impacted water from the cargo aprons into two concrete lift stations. From there the waste will be pumped through a force main to a three million gallon above ground storage tank where it can be pumped to either an existing collection basin or pumped into tankers for transport. The proj- ect includes the addition of a tanker pump station, new pumps and valves at the existing collection basins. Also, improve- ments will be made to the Water Department’s sanitary inlet structures to prevent spills and expedite the discharge into the sanitary sewers. This project will provide improved apron runoff storage capacity.

Is it then fair to assume that we could fix each terminal’s de-icing issue for $10 million? $20 million? Even at $20 million x 3 terminals, we’re saving $100 million. That’s 7 years worth of Power & Light District subsidies.

 

 

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest