47 AirportImprovement.com July | August 2026 PASSENGER TRANSPORT SRQ At Sarasota–Bradenton International (SRQ), one of the airport’s biggest operational challenges was hiding in plain sight—on the curb. A single curb outside the terminal handled nearly every ground transportation function simultaneously. Arriving passengers searched for family members or rideshare vehicles while hotel shuttles loaded guests nearby. At the same time, taxis, limousines, charter buses, county transit vehicles and private automobiles also competed for the same limited frontage. Further complicating matters, the coastal Florida airport experienced unprecedented passenger growth after the COVID pandemic subsided. “From a percentage standpoint, we’re No. 1 in the United States,” says Robert Furr, senior vice president of Engineering, Planning, and Facilities, for Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority says. “Our growth since 2018 is over 266%, and the next highest- growth airport is about 111%.” Significant and repetitive jumps in annual traffic pushed SRQ’s passenger count to a record 4.5 million passengers last year, which transformed a frustrating but manageable operational issue into an outright infrastructure problem, especially as SRQ has worked to establish itself as a “higher-end boutique airport.” Even before the post-pandemic traffic increases, congestion had been exacerbated by the rapid rise of transportation network companies like Lyft and Uber, which have drastically reshaped passenger pickup and drop- off patterns at airports over the past decade. Like taxis, limousines and charter services, ride share drivers often need longer dwell times at the curb than private vehicles. “The last 10 to 15 years, the rideshare component really came into fruition,” says Cameron Newhouse, director of Engineering and Planning for Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and project manager for a new ground transportation facility. “We struggled with the best place to put these pickups. It kind of tracked across the building over time—from a section of short-term parking to the curb at the center of the building to the end of the baggage wing. And it was very difficult to maintain proper signage.” Airport leaders realized the existing system could no longer support traffic growth or the passenger experience SRQ wanted to deliver, and curbside operations needed to be updated and reorganized. The result: a $9.1 million ground transportation facility designed to separate competing traffic flows, improve passenger safety, modernize accessibility and create capacity for future growth. The three-zone facility, largely funded by the Florida Department of Transportation, was constructed in phases, with the final portion completed in August 2025. Shifting Traffic Flow The airport took a comprehensive approach that relocated the majority of ground transportation functions into a separate, purpose-built complex adjacent to the terminal. Now, its original curb outside the terminal is only for pickups and drop-offs by private vehicles. The new Ground Transportation Center has three separate sections: • A transit loop on the far west end for the two public bus systems (Breeze Transit and Manatee County Area Transit) that service the airport and surrounding area; • A dedicated area in the middle for ride-share vehicles; and • An inner loop closest to the terminal for taxis, limos and shuttles AVCON Inc. provided civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering services as well as site planning and final design of parking and maneuvering areas for the project. Clint Pletzer, AVCON associate vice president of Transportation and engineer for the project, says the changes transformed an older taxi loop, overflow employee parking and outdated engineering offices into an organized transportation hub. Pletzer notes that the new facility includes dedicated operational zones for each transportation mode while still maintaining short walk times for passengers—all under a lighted and covered walkway with a unified canopy system to provide a “boutique” airport experience. Safety and Passenger Flow As the project concept developed, safety was one of the central priorities driving the facility design. The previous curbside CLINT PLETZER ROBERT FURR FACTS&FIGURES Project: Ground Transportation Center Location: Sarasota-Bradenton Int’l Airport, in FL Owner/Operator: Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority Key Benefits: Enhances safety & efficiency; improves passenger & driver experience; reduces curbside congestion & confusion; centralizes & organizes ground transportation options; strengthens regional connectivity & transit integration; positions airport for continued growth & scalability Facility Size: Approx. 250,000 sq. ft. Key Components: 3 distinct areas for public transit buses; transportation network company vehicles; & taxis, shuttles & limousines New Amenity: 810-sq. ft. lounge for commercial drivers Cost: $9.1 million Funding: FL Dept. of Transportation; Airport Authority revenue Project Timeline: 2021 (planning and design)– Aug. 2025 construction complete Design & Engineering: AVCON, INC. Architecture: TranSystems/GFT Construction: Magnum Construction Utility Engineering: Bell Engineering Landscaping: Landesco Geotechnical: Tierra Survey: Hyatt Signage: Apple Designs Specialty Canopy Fabricators: USA Shade Regional Transit Partners: Breeze Transit; Manatee County Area Transit
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