Departures ramp at Edmonton International Airport set to re-open Oct. 31

Getting into Edmonton International Airport for departing flights will become a little smootherin the weeks ahead.

The ramp leading to the departures terminal is set to open this fall.

The key route to the busy terminal, known as the Departures Roadway and Ramp, will re-open on Oct. 31 at 9 a.m., officials with the airport said in a statement Wednesday.

The ramp,on the airport's Level 2,was closed in September 2023 to make way for upgrades. Construction shut down the elevated roadway and required relocation of the passenger pick-up and drop-off areas.

Airport staff say the new ramp features improved accessibility features, including new billboards, and will improve traffic flow for travellers by expanding the ramp from one lane to two lanes of traffic.

'Incredibly complex'

In a presentation to St. Albert city council Tuesday, Carman McNary, EIA board chair,said the project came in under budget and ahead of schedule.

He said the project was tricky because of the existing design of the terminal building.

"The team has delivered a project that was incredibly complex," McNary told council. "I don't think people realize that ramp is actually the ceiling over the Tim Hortons, so that was not a simple project to undertake."

McNary said the pending re-opening of the ramp is just one piece of "good news" the airport is planning to announce this fall as operations continue to recover from pandemic travel woes and other challenges heightened by recent labour disruptions.

The new ramp will serve as a complimentary drop-off area for passengers. The road leading to the arrivals area will return to function as a paid, short-term pick-up area.

The complimentary pick-up and alternative drop-off zones, set up east of the parkade during the ramp's construction, will continue to be available, airport officials said.