Pensacola News Journal - Jim Little
A continued increase in travelers is taking a toll on the Pensacola International Airport's infrastructure, and officials are eyeing next year to begin the final design of an airport expansion.
Pensacola's airport director, Matt Coughlin, said Monday that the airport hopes to get the design and engineering completed next year and break ground on the expansion either in 2024 or 2025.
Airport and city officials have been working for the last several years to line up federal and state grants to help fund the bulk of an estimated $70 million expansion of the airport.
The airport has had several record-breaking years of increasing passenger traffic at the airport, and for the last several weeks, the airport has had problems with the terminal's main escalators and elevator.
Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said the episode highlights the need for a terminal expansion.
