Eastern Iowa Airport sets passenger record in August

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Eastern Iowa Airport is on track to surpass a seven-year-old record for passenger traffic.

A total of 97,147 travelers used the airport in August, surpassing the previous record of 91,914 passengers set in August 2007. It was the ninth consecutive month that the regional airport set a record for passenger arrivals and departures, according to Heather Wilson, director of marketing and communication.

'If this continues, the airport will have a record-setting year for passenger traffic, surpassing the previous record in 2007,” Wilson said Monday at the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission monthly meeting.

Airport officials say the record passenger travel is a testament to the Eastern Iowa economy.

They noted that the growth is driving renovations and upgrades to the airport's 27-year-old terminal and parking lot.

A $47 million terminal modernization project started in June with the addition of a new canopy to the front of the building.

The project also will include a renovated lobby, ticketing area and baggage claim as well as energy-efficient upgrades to improve the use, function and carbon footprint of the terminal.

A $10.7 million, five-year parking lot and pavement improvement project has begun with the first phase involving a portion of the short-term lot near the passenger terminal.

Gene Cossey, airport operations director, told the commission that the parking lot work is progressing on schedule with plans for a majority of the work to be performed during lighter travel periods.

Cossey said a new $4.95 million taxiway opened last week and the airport's secondary runway has reopened.

The runway was closed during construction of the parallel taxiway and related connections to the airport's ramp.

The taxiway will provide easier access to the northwest end of the runway and allow moving aircraft to be farther away from ramp areas.