This week Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport officials reveal plans for a $6 billion renovation and expansion that will last nearly 20 years.
The most dramatic new addition will be a giant, translucent canopy that covers the roadways that run between the north and south terminals and adjacent parking lots. Scroll down for a look at renderings of how the iconic new canopy will look, inside and out. And don’t miss the full video if you have a few minutes to watch it.
In addition to the canopy, the airport plans to update all domestic terminals, adding bigger windows for more light and tarmac views. Terminal renovations start later this year, and after that (starting 2021) a massive project to demolish and replace the airport’s parking decks commences.
Add to that a new 450-room hotel (located in the current west parking lot), a new terminal (G) and a sixth runway, and you have one whopper of a project that we’ll be living with for the next 20 years.
(All images courtesy Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)
To see the dramatic fly-through video rendering, click here or view below:
ATLNext Canopy Animation from Hartsfield-Jackson on Vimeo.
Here’s a full rundown of key features of the project:
Airport main terminal
- Terminal modernization, now-2018, $393 million
- Concourse T extension, 2016-2021, $200 million
- Plane Train people-mover turnback relocation, 2016-2027, $307 million
- Concourse G, 2016-2023, $983 million
- Concourse D gate area expansion, 2019-2025, $50 million
Parking
- ATL West parking deck next to Georgia International Convention Center, 2016-2017, $150 million
- Sullivan Road Park-Ride Lot, 2016-2018, $7.6 million
- Domestic garage enabling work, 2016-2021, $100 million
- South garage teardown and replacement, 2021-2024, $420 million
- North garage teardown and replacement, 2024-2027, $245 million
Hotel
- Hotel, travel plaza, mixed-use commercial complex, 2016-2018, $500 million
Airfield
- Taxiway/runway pavement replacement, 2016-2017, $24 million
- End-around taxiway, 2017-2021, $58 million
- Runway pavement replacement, 2021-2023, $35 million
- Other airfield renewal/replacement, 2016-2035, $310 million
- Sixth runway, 2023-2034, $943 million
Why do all of the cars have European plates?
Is that music from Cast Away?? Hmmm
I fly in and out of ATL every week. My question is WHY! If they really what to expand, build another concourse with the same layout at the existing concourses between runways 9R and 10. Have a high speed train system connecting the two concourses to take care of connections. Another idea would be rather then build a hotel on the former rental car lots build a main terminal there. The present train system to the rental car area makes a stop at a section with hotels. This could be a great hub with covered walkways to each hotel and not consume valuable airport real estate. ATL has 5 runways now and will need a 6th in the near future. The thing we are desperate for are gates!!! ATL has one of the cleanest approach/departure flight paths in the world but we need GATES!!