Commission rethinks airport plan

Web posted July 13, 2000

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By Justin Martin
Staff Writer

A few weeks ago, a delegation of Augusta commissioners traveled to Savannah for the annual Georgia Municipal Association convention. While there, they spent a couple of hours with Patrick Graham, the director of Savannah's new $68 million airport terminal.

.Jimmy Drews, a member of the Augusta Aviation Commission, addresses the Augusta Commission during a meeting about proposed changes to Bush Field. Commissioners recently visited Savannah and toured the city's new $68 million airport terminal. TODD BENNETT/STAFF

Mr. Graham took the visitors on a tour of the facility. He told them how Savannah got where it is today, how the city paid for the facility and what has been done to increase airline traffic.

The whirlwind tour left some commissioners asking themselves if Augusta is doing enough and doing the things necessary to duplicate Savannah's success.

``Quite frankly, we didn't want to be in the situation where we are today with the (Augusta-Richmond County) civic center in that we've built something that 20 years later is just not functional for this community,'' Mayor Bob Young said. ``It's not big enough to meet the year 2000 and beyond needs of this community. We don't want people saying that about the airport at Bush Field.''

So, on Wednesday afternoon, the Augusta Commission and the Augusta Aviation Commission met to discuss plans for a $22 million terminal construction project at Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field. Since visiting Savannah, several city commissioners are wondering if the new terminal should not be bigger and better than the one now on the drawing board.

Some also want to know if the new terminal can be expanded, if it is being built in the best place and if they might be better off spending more to ensure the airport serves the community.

During the past 10 years, Savannah's airport has become one of the fastest growing in the nation. One reason, said Aviation Commission member and former Mayor Ed McIntyre, is the proximity to Hilton Head Island, S.C., and the Florida coast.

In 15 years time, enplanements at Savannah have exploded, increasing from about 350,000 to almost 800,000 per year. Some city commissioners would like to see the same growth at Bush Field.

Plans are on the drawing board for a new $22 million terminal at Bush Field, but officials are considering more expansion TODD BENNETT/STAFF

``We've been working on this for years. We were designing it based on what Bush Field could afford,'' explained Augusta Aviation Commission Chairman Ed Skinner. ``We only have 200,000 enplanements. Savannah has four times that number. They can afford a $68 million terminal, but we're looking at less than one-third that number.''

Airport experts predict the number of people who travel through Bush Field will increase from 200,000 to more than 400,000 during the next 20 years.

Robert Anderson, a senior member of The LPA Group Inc., the architecture and engineering firm working on the design plans for the new terminal, said he believes Augusta is building the correct-size terminal.

But some city commissioners and even some aviation commissioners think Augusta should be thinking bigger.

Quoting former Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield, aviation commission member Jimmy Drews said an airport is not one of the engines that drives an economy, it is the engine.

Mr. Young asked The LPA Group to come back in two weeks with estimates on the costs and delays that would result in changing the current plans.

Reach Justin Martin at (706) 823-3552.