Hartsfield-Jackson begins construction on parking deck
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is starting construction work on its north parking deck and plans later this year to begin building a new South parking deck that will be seven levels tall.
It’s part of a decadelong project to reinforce and eventually replace the domestic terminal’s aging parking decks, which are are more than 40 years old.
Last spring, the Atlanta airport started on structural rehabilitation work in the South parking deck next to Delta Air Lines’ part of the terminal. Now the airport is shifting to similar work on the North deck next to Terminal North where other airlines have check-in counters and baggage claim.
The work takes about 2,500 parking spaces next to the terminal out of commission at a time.
Parking in the south deck is expected to be fully restored by the end of this month.
Portions of Level 3 of the North parking deck are now closed for construction enabling work. The airport is warning that motorists headed to the airport should allow extra time to find parking. Signs detour motorists around areas blocked off for the construction work.
During the reinforcement work on the north deck, which is expected to continue through the end of October, detours and closedoff portions of the parking deck will shift to different areas. The airport’s gold reserve membership parking is moving to Terminal South.
While the parking decks will not close entirely, the reduction of spaces means the parking decks and lots next to the terminal frequently fill up during busy periods.
Near the end of this year, the airport plans to start construction of a new sevenlevel South parking deck with about 6,700 parking spaces, to be built on half of the current South economy lot.
That will mean a reduction of south economy parking spaces for a few years, according to Frank Rucker, deputy general manager of infrastructure at Hartsfield-Jackson.
“Once the new south parking deck (phase 1) is complete, the existing deck will be demolished for the south parking deck (phase 2),” Rucker said. The new seven-level deck will eventually be part of a larger reconstructed south deck.
Parking shortages caused by the construction have brought frustrations for travelers since last year, and will likely continue.
Airport officials want travelers to consider parking at its ATL West remote parking deck, which is connected to the domestic terminal via free SkyTrain. It takes 7-11 minutes to get from the ATL West deck to the terminal, according to HartsfieldJackson chief commercial officer Jai Ferrell.