VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Construction has begun at the Valdosta-Lowndes Airport on a project designed to improve safety measures for passengers.
Whether it's extremely hot, cold, or even if there's rain or snow, passengers walk out onto these hazardous runways everyday to get to their final destinations. But the Valdosta-Lowndes Regional Airport has taken new measures with its overall safety enhancement program to ensure the safety of its travelers.
"We'll have passengers--instead of having to come outside and go across the concrete to get to and from the airplane, in the weather or night time, with all of this other equipment running around out here, they'll be able to do it all from inside the building," said Airport Manager Jim Gallaway.
It's called a passenger boarding bridge which is much like a tunnel.
"If you travel to other airports many of them have this and so we're always looking for a way to improve the airport here," said Gallaway.
Construction on the new bridge started just after the new year and should be complete by the end of July.
"In the big scheme of things it's fairly simple," said Gallaway. "We're building a very simple building that will mate up to the existing building and also to the bridge itself and then our passengers will get into that smaller building and into the bridge."
Right now, passengers have to wait on the runways to retrieve their luggage, which can take a decent amount of time and can increase the chances of an accident.
"People are curious, they tend to wander around and there are some other things out here that may cause them harm or the equipment harm," said Gallaway. "If they were to just wander off while waiting for their carry on bag or something."
The estimated cost for the bridge is 1.5 million dollars.
"This helps us channel the people and keep them where we want them to be to once again to enhance the safety primarily for those of the ground and traveling," said Gallaway.
Gallaway says, the new bridge provides features and safety offered at other airports.
