b'30 SEA TERMINALSSeattle-Tacoma Intl UPgrades Facilities With Multibillion-Dollar Capital CampaignBY JODI RICHARDS By many measures, Seattle- As air traffic returns, facilities areacquiring more land. Everything has to Tacoma International Airport (SEA)strained and the airports enduring goalbe built within the existing footprint, and has been one of the fastest- of delivering a top-notch passengerwe have to get it right the first time, growing airports in the United States forexperience is challenged. We have anLyttle advises. We have to design more than a decade. In 2019, SEA servedobligation, a duty, to make sure we buildand build with precision because the more than 51 million passengers. While thatand maintain facilities to keep pace withdecisions were making are 30- to 50-year number dipped at the height of the COVIDthat growth, says Lyttle. We dont wantdecisions, and we just dont have the pandemic, traffic is coming back fast andour airport to become a bottleneck. space to do any form of remediation.furious with no sign of slowing. In 2022, theTo keep pace with growth, SEA isThat requires innovative and creative Pacific Northwest airport processed nearlyinvesting more than $4.6 billion overthinking about how to meet current demand, 46 million passengers.the next five years on projects designedhe adds. We cant go out, so basically we Were seeingto upgrade facilities and elevate theare going up, were going in, and, in certain tremendous growthpassenger experience. Its all part ofcases, were actually going down.taking place in thea long-term capital campaign called region, reportsUpgrade SEA.Mapping the FutureManaging DirectorThe challenge, however, is space. WithThe airport has a long list of projects Lance Lyttle. Andonly 2,500 acres on its campus, SEAdesigned to work in concert. Primary that growth directlyhas a relatively small footprint comparedobjectives are reducing congestion, translates to increasedLANCE LYTTLE to airports with similar traffic volume.improving operational efficiency and demand at SEA.Additionally, SEA is committed to notenhancing customer convenience, satisfaction and well-being. Officials note March | April 2023AirportImprovement.com'