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Sea-Tac Airport receives $16 million to shorten security lines

The funding will be spent on relocating a TSA checkpoint from the upstairs departures area to the downstairs arrival area.

SEATTLE — The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) was awarded $16 million in federal grants for infrastructure projects aimed at reducing wait times during security screening.

According to a press release from U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell's Office, Sea-Tac will use the funds to relocate TSA Checkpoint #1 from the upstairs departures area to the downstairs arrival area. The grant will fund 65% of the anticipated $24.6 million project. The relocated checkpoint will have two more screening lanes and will have all automated screening lanes, which the current checkpoint does not have. 

The new location will be more convenient for passengers who arrive on foot or via bus, and upgrades to elevators will make the checkpoint more accessible, according to the release.

Perry Cooper, the SEA Airport Spokesperson, said having a checkpoint on the arrivals level, where departing passengers sometimes get dropped off during peak hours, will help speed people through security and prevent bottlenecks when the airport is at its busiest. 

"When most of our departures are happening, the upper drive level gets really, really packed," said Cooper. "If we can bring more people down to the lower level and they see there's a checkpoint down here on this lower level, that's going to make the drive that much more efficient."

He also said there is not room on the upper level for a bigger checkpoint, so they needed to relocate and expand the checkpoint on the lower level. 

"We just don't have enough space on the ticketing level, with the way we're shaped and the way that main terminal is built, to add any more space up there," said Cooper. 

Sea-Tac surpassed 50 million passengers in 2019 and is one of the nation’s top 10 busiest airports. Cooper said that in 2022 they served 46 million passengers and believes they will be back to pre-pandemic levels by next year. 

“Nobody likes waiting in line at the airport,” Cantwell said in the release. “By relocating checkpoint 1 and adding two more screening lanes, Sea-Tac will increase their capacity to screen 940 passengers per hour."

The new relocated checkpoint is set to start construction this summer and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. This project is one part of the Upgrade SEA Five-Year Plan

A total of $37.7 million in funding through the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law was awarded to three airports in Washington.

Spokane International Airport will receive $15 million for a terminal expansion and renovation. The project will also add six ticket counters and three gates and is expected to create 1,605 jobs and $293 million in economic impact.

Pullman-Moscow Airport will receive $6.365 million to build a third boarding bridge and a third boarding gate. The added capacity will allow the airport to operate more than one flight per hour, according to the press release.

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