Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport says it is kicking off construction work this week for $6 billion of renovation and expansion in its 20-year master plan.
The work in the coming months and years will cause hassles and inconvenience for travelers as they are rerouted around construction areas, in a lengthy "pardon our dust" period at the world's busiest airport.
The airport says Wednesday night's removal of the well-known Olympic mural at the top of the escalators for arriving passengers headed to the domestic terminal is one of the first projects of the renovation. Going up for the next six weeks will be scaffolding to replace the mural with a giant video screen. Plans are to memorialize the mural with digital images of it in the rotating display on the video screen.
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
During the construction to be done overnight in that escalator area, travelers between midnight and 5:30 a.m. will be re-directed to exit the people-mover train at Concourse T and walk to baggage claim along a path with two other escalators. Some areas may need to be closed in early morning hours, according to the airport.
The airport's massive expansion plan will include the renovation of the terminal and concourses, construction of Concourse G, the demolition and replacement of airport parking garages and a new hotel to be built next to the domestic terminal.
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Video on the airport's planned expansion, with renderings, flashback photos, an interactive map and more: Hartsfield-Jackson to begin $6 billion expansion plan
The story behind the "Spirit of Atlanta" mural: Hartsfield-Jackson's Olympic mural taking final bow World's busiest airport says: Pardon our dust
