San Diego International Airport projects honored by the American Public Works Association

SAN Also Wins Award for Planning

SAN DIEGO, 2016-May-17 — /Travel PR News/ — Two key improvement projects at San Diego International Airport have been recognized by the American Public Works Association (APWA), San Diego/Imperial Chapter.

The new Rental Car Center (RCC) and the North Side Utilities Storm Drain project each won “Project of the Year” honors for 2016.

The 2 million-square-foot RCC opened in January of this year and houses most of the rental car companies serving the airport, including national brands, as well as local, independent and small rental car companies, in one central location off Pacific Highway. Previously, rental car companies occupied a complex on Harbor Drive.

Moving the rental car companies to the north side of the airport and consolidating them into one building has reduced rental car traffic on Harbor Drive, as well as the number of shuttle buses competing with passengers getting to and from the airport.

In a related change, all rental car customers are carried to and from the terminals in 16 (soon to be 25) new alternative-fuel shuttles owned and operated by the Airport Authority. This fleet replaces the approximately 81 shuttles now operated by the rental car companies.

To complete the project on time and within budget, 97,500 cubic yards of concrete were placed on the 24-acre site in 12 months, which is the equivalent of pouring an acre a week.

“The Airport Authority’s main goals were to build a world-class rental car center that enhanced the customer experience while improving access to the airport for everyone in a sustainable manner,” said President/CEO Thella F. Bowens. “The general contractor and its subs worked tirelessly to satisfy these goals while meeting a very aggressive schedule.”

The Airport Authority also won a “Project of the Year” award for its North Side Utilities Storm Drain project, which installed more than 8,000 feet of storm drain piping directly under the airfield area.  The project was needed to capture and redirect storm runoff. Construction was especially challenging, given that it was done directly adjacent to the runway.

The Airport Authority’s Planning & Noise Mitigation Department has been awarded the Planning Agency Award from the American Planning Association, California Chapter, San Diego.  This award “honors the work of a public sector planning agency that has continually produced a program of exceptional work that has elevated awareness about planning.”