The Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport recently released a draft environmental assessment for a new passenger terminal and runway expansion.
Contractor CH2MHill prepared the 164-page assessment, which details the planned airport expansion.
The Brownsville-South Padre Island airport’s terminal would expand from about 35,000 square feet to about 55,000 square feet, according to the assessment. Along with the new terminal, the airport would add a new parking lot with 400 to 600 spaces — replacing the current 236-car lot.
“We have a total of four gates,” said Director of Aviation Larry Brown. “When we are done with the new terminal it will be about twice the size it is at the present time.”
Workers would also lengthen the runway from 7,000 feet to 12,000 feet, which would allow the airport to handle larger aircraft and four commercial passenger planes at once, according to the assessment.
The Brownsville-South Padre Island airport counted more than 100,000 enplanements during 2013, according to the latest data from the Federal Aviation Administration.
“I just come down here for the winter because this is the warmest place to be,” said Richard Rainsbarger, who vacations in Port Isabel every year.
American Airlines and United Airlines already serve the Brownsville-South Padre Island airport, and Allegiant Air plans to begin limited service to Las Vegas.
“It’s a small airport, but it’s growing,” Brown said.
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