OMAHA, Neb (KMTV) — For a while now, drivers have been used to seeing lots of construction, lane closures and barricades on the way into Eppley Airfield.
Mark Emmons said he’s made six trips to the airport in the past two weeks for family coming in from out of town. Getting used to all the construction has been an uphill battle.
"I’ve dealt with it for a good 2-3 months now," said Emmons.
On Wednesday, travel to the airport is set to go a lot smoother. A new entrance is set to open.
Airport officials said the opening marks the end of an almost year-long process to improve accessibility to the terminal.
The entrance replaces a temporary one used during the construction and sits to the south about 500 ft., providing better access to nearby parking lots.
Chief development officer Steve McCoy said the new entrance will meet the needs of a growing customer base of travelers.
"We’re looking at long-term facility needs to accommodate rising passenger demand here at the airport," McCoy said.
McCoy added the project is just the start of many improvements at Eppley, focusing on bettering the customer experience.
Emmons says he has another trip planned for the airport on Wednesday and he’s already looking forward to using the new entrance
"It’ll make travel less stressful," Emmons said. "It will make pick-up and drop-offs a lot easier."
Officials said they plan to have the projects wrapped up later this year. This includes upgrades to the terminal that are expected to take about 6 to 7 years to complete.
About half of the funding for the projects comes from FAA federal grants while the rest comes from money generated by the airport.
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