Fulton County approves $1.3 million airport upgrade project
Fulton County leaders are fast-tracking improvements at Fulton County Airport ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
On Wednesday, Fulton County commissioners approved a $1.3 million airport upgrade project tied to a much larger long-term expansion plan that could eventually reshape the area surrounding the airport.
County leaders say the urgency stems from Atlanta's preparation to welcome an influx of visitors for the games.
"We approved some additional improvements under our airport master plan, which has been in effect, but obviously, because of the World Cup, that was the catalyst for us moving more aggressively," said Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts.
The recently approved project includes taxiway upgrades, erosion control measures, pavement markings, and new taxiway edge lighting, but officials say that's only a small part of a much larger, multimillion-dollar vision for the airport.
According to a 250-page airport master plan posted on the county's website, expansion plans include new development near Fulton Industrial Boulevard, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and Sandy Creek Road.
Airport Manager Gary Hudson recently discussed parts of the project in an interview with FGTV.
"There is going to be an RFP going out on the 17 acres of land on the southwest part of the airport," Hudson said.
Chairman Pitts says the broader plan includes three major phases:
Construction of a new fire and emergency maintenance facility
A U.S. Customs facility at the airport
Expanding the airport runway by 1,000 feet
Gary Hudson said the expansion could attract new aviation-related businesses and jobs to the area.
"We are hoping that a company will come in and, depending on their operations, build some hangars," Hudson said.
Some nearby residents and business owners told us they were unaware of the project and questioned how the expansion could impact traffic and nearby communities.
At Boston Fish Supreme, the manager said business has been slow, and if the airport improvements bring more customers to the area, he supports the project.
"People need to understand that having an airport in your own backyard is a real plus not only for the surrounding community, but for the state and the city," Hudson said. "We are in a position where we are creating jobs and careers."
