Apr. 27—PITTSTON TWP. — A project to protect against the possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport will also improve the flow of foot traffic and add several amenities to the terminal, including a business center and family waiting area.
The airport board voted Thursday to award a $1.28 million contract to McFarland-Johnson Inc. of Binghamton, N.Y., for the design and bid phase of the project.
The COVID Mitigation Terminal Improvements project will expand and reconfigure the security screening area to allow more separation of arriving and departing passengers, according to Stephen Mykulyn, the airport's director of engineering.
Currently, passengers exiting planes have to cross over and go past passengers arriving at the security checkpoints, Mykulyn said. The redesign will reroute arriving passengers to eliminate those cross-traffic conflicts, allowing for greater social distancing, he said. It will also reduce confusion for passengers, he said.
Other improvements included in the project will make travelers' experiences more enjoyable, airport Executive Director Carl Beardsley said.
Plans call for a dedicated "meet and greet" family waiting area with a view of the airfield and a business center that will provide a quiet area for travelers to plug in their electronic devices so they can work while waiting to board.
The total project is estimated to cost about $12 million, Mykulyn said. The cost of the design contract will be covered from a portion of the capital improvement grant the airport received under the CARES Act. The airport will seek federal funding for the improvements, Mykulyn said.
In other business, Beardsley reported 13,980 passengers flew out of the airport in March, a 10.4% decrease from a year ago. The board also awarded a $785,438 contract to American Environmental Aviation Inc., Sanford, Florida, for a fuel farm overfill protection and fuel pump replacement project.
In personnel action, the board accepted the resignation of Eve Hennigan, Dunmore, as executive assistant, and made the following appointments: Beth Coslett, Dallas, as executive assistant; William Holeva, Dickson City, as public safety director; Brandon Tayoun, Drums, and Stefano Cinquemani, Kingston, as maintenance 2 workers.
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