County supervisors approve $26M for upgrades to Stockton Airport

Wes Bowers, Lodi News-Sentinel, Calif.
·2 min read

Apr. 11—The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved more than $26.2 million to fund improvements at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport aimed at increasing commercial airline capacity service and help achieve future economic development goals.

Some $8 million to construct a new hold room with five gates that will accommodate 400 peak-hour passengers in the main terminal; remodel sections of the existing baggage claim, Transportation Security Administration security area and ticket counter portions of the existing terminal; add new baggage conveyors; provide space for rent-a-car counters; and update restrooms.

Another $7 million will be used to redesign the airport's west ramp to accommodate new hangar construction, and $5.8 million will be used to construct 38 new aircraft storage hangars and 10 aircraft sunshade awnings, as well as Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting awning, and a replacement commercial hangar.

In addition, $4.5 million will be used to acquire an existing commercial hangar to update and re-purpose the building and its site, while $600,000 will be used to construct a pilot center and self-serve fueling facility.

Lastly, some $325,000 will be used to complete a siting study for a new FAA-operated/county-owned air traffic control tower.

Airport director Richard Sokol said the airport's current air carrier terminal building is more than 60 years old, and the improvements were a long time coming.

"Over the years, some basic mechanical systems of the building have been repaired, but the layout and functionality of the building has gone essentially unchanged," Sokol said. "In addition, aircraft size and passenger load has increased and the way airlines use airport facilities has substantially changed since the 1960s. The existing building must be updated to successfully meet the needs of air carriers who wish to grow the airline market at SCK."

Sokol added that the building was originally designed for 50-seat airplanes, while today's operators feature aircraft that seat a minimum of 138 passengers.

He also said the existing passenger hold room was added in 2011, but its size cannot support concurrent operations of multiple aircraft used by today's airlines.

In addition, security rules and procedures did not exist in 1965 and the way outbound bags are processed has also changed dramatically.