RDU parking renovations could impact fliers

Fliers traveling from Raleigh-Durham International Airport may need to budget additional time to find parking before their flights starting this spring because of repairs to the airport’s central parking structure.

The airport plans to conduct infrastructure maintenance and repair work on most of its seven-level, 11,000-space “ParkRDU” Central garage, excluding the ground-level Premier zone. The goal is for the project to be completed by Thanksgiving to avoid holiday travel, RDU staff said.

Last week, the RDU Airport Authority approved a $4.5 million contract for Tendon Systems to do the work, which includes repairing and sealing beams, drainage improvements, pressure washing and striping.

“Things that are not exciting but they have to get done to maintain the life of the structure,” RDU spokesman Andrew Sawyer said.

The contract cost is about $1.8 million less than Tendon System’s original bid after the airport authority instructed staff to negotiate with the company earlier this month, said Ron Jewett, vice president of facilities asset management.

The contractor will close off about 1,000 to 1,500 spaces at a time to do the work, Sawyer said. This could impact RDU passengers because the parking structure tends to fill up a several times a week.

Sawyer said the airport plans to mitigate some of the impacts by increasing staff to ensure every available space is occupied and help get customers from economy lots to terminals more efficiently. There are more than 9,000 spaces in economy lots, off National Guard Drive and International Drive, which provide 24-hour shuttle service.

The Premier parking area’s 1,100 spaces will not be impacted because work already was completed there when the parking deck was overhauled to create the new zone last year, Sawyer said.

RDU customers are encouraged to check the status of parking online at www.rdu.com/parking to see if lots are full or nearing capacity before arrival.

This story was originally published January 22, 2017 at 4:38 PM with the headline "RDU parking renovations could impact fliers."