Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has closed off portions of the Terminal North parking deck to motorists for the start of construction work.
It’s part of a years-long project to reinforce and eventually replace the domestic terminal’s aging parking decks, which are are more than 40 years old.
The airport has spent the last nine months on structural renewal work in the Terminal South parking deck, including the installation of reinforcing bars. Plans are to wrap up that work in mid-February and shift focus to reinforcement work on the Terminal North deck.
“When we open up the South (deck) fully in February, then we‘re going to move toward the North (deck) for construction,” said Hartsfield-Jackson general manager Balram Bheodari. The North deck reinforcement work is now expected to be completed by the end of October.
Portions of Level 3 of the North parking deck are now closed for construction enabling work. The airport is warning that motorists headed to the airport should allow extra time to find parking. Signs detour motorists around areas blocked off for the construction work.
The parking decks will not completely close while the reinforcement work is done, but the work takes about 2,500 parking spaces next to the terminal out of commission at a time. That will continue with the work on the North deck, which has about 5,800 parking spaces in total.
With the closure of thousands of parking deck spaces for the construction work, the parking decks and lots next to the terminal frequently reach capacity during peak periods.
That forces travelers rushing to catch flights to reroute and search for other parking options — often farther from the terminal.
Hartsfield-Jackson is advising travelers to consider parking at its ATL West remote parking deck, which is connected to the domestic terminal via free SkyTrain. But the ATL West deck also sometimes reaches capacity.
Additional options include other airport-run park-ride lots, off-airport parking lots on Camp Creek Parkway and MARTA.
Eventually, the airport plans to replace the parking decks as part of a decade-long project that is likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Last October, the Atlanta City Council approved an initial $10 million contract for enabling work for construction of a replacement South deck with 6,500 parking spaces.
The reinforcement work being done now is aimed at extending the life of the existing decks another three to five years, to allow time for the gradual replacement of the structures in phases.
Options for parking at Hartsfield-Jackson’s domestic terminal
Hourly parking and daily parking are in the parking decks that will be under construction, starting with the South deck this year. Hourly parking will be relocated to the ground level of the deck and daily parking will be limited due to the construction.
Hourly parking: $3 an hour for the first two hours, $4 an hour after that, $36 a day after 6 hours
Daily parking: $3 an hour, $19 a day
ATL West deck: $16 a day
Economy parking: $14 a day
Park-Ride lot C: $10 a day.
ATL Select park-ride lot: $10 a day for uncovered parking, $14 a day for covered parking
Signs on airport roads direct motorists to the different parking options. The airport has parking deck and lot status updates on its website at atl.com — though status can change to full quickly, especially during busy periods. Tune to 830 AM radio for airport parking information.
Those who want to park at the ATL West deck can go to myparkatl.com/AtlantaBooking for online reservations.
Off-airport private parking lots, including those off Camp Creek Road, are another popular option.
Take a photo of your parking location as a reminder when you return from your trip.
MARTA is another alternative. The airport MARTA station is located inside the domestic terminal.
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