South Bend International Airport marked the completion of its $105 million Taxiway Bravo Realignment and Ramp Reconstruction project with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
The five-year project realigned Taxiway Bravo to improve safety, enhance pilot navigation, and separate the taxiway from the terminal ramp. The terminal ramp was also lowered about four feet, allowing mainline aircraft and larger regional jets to use any gate for the first time. A new deicing pad was added for more efficient winter operations.
Construction involved moving nearly 920,000 cubic yards of soil, laying 133,000 tons of asphalt, installing 26 miles of electrical and communication cables, converting 475 airfield lights to LED, and pouring more than 20 acres of concrete.
South Bend Airport CEO Mike Daigle credited federal funding for making the project possible. “Of the $105 million project, $96 million came from the FAA through competitive funding that could have gone anywhere in the country,” Daigle said.
Work was completed in phases over five construction seasons to minimize impact on airport operations.
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The airport just made a big deal out of being on track to serve 1 million passengers in 2025.
That means these improvements cost the same as charging each passenger in 2025 an additional $105 for their airfare, but instead the taxpayers are on the hook for it.
Are we getting our money’s worth?