Denver International Airport (DEN) is to receive a US$26.6m grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fund a portion of the baggage handling system (BHS) modernization project, which is designed to increase capacity and improve energy efficiency.
“As the airport makes improvements to check-in and security processes, it is critical the rest of the airport keeps up,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. “We’re grateful for strong support from our congressional leaders for this grant that will ensure our baggage system brings efficiency and reliability to passengers, especially as we see more flights than ever come in and out of DEN.”
Passenger traffic forecasts for DEN suggest the need to accommodate 100 million passengers well before the original 2032 Vision 100 strategic plan projection. To support this future growth, the current system requires replacement of equipment with more modern and dependable technologies.
DEN CEO Phil Washington explained that the grant would support the BHS modernization by replacing portions of the existing infrastructure that has been in place for more than 25 years with new, more efficient equipment.
DEN has planned for a multi-year project to complete the modernization, with phasing to maintain operations while the work is completed. The project is currently in the design phase and is expected to begin construction later this year.
The grant received by DEN is part of $970 million in federal funding for 114 airports across the United States.
For more BHS news, click here.