Upgrades Coming Soon! Parking, Seating and MORE.
April 28, 2021
While we recently announced major renovations coming to the Quad Cities International Airport, there are projects much closer on the horizon that will lay the groundwork for modernizing the travel experience. Here is the latest on improvements you can expect to see within the next few months:
Solar-Covered Parking Spaces
Solar energy is coming to the QC Airport. Not only will it provide a clean, renewable energy source for the airport, but the structure will serve as a covered parking option for nearly 200 spots in the short-term lot. Two additional electric vehicle charging stations will be added to the existing three once the project is completed.
This is the largest solar project among Illinois airports and fourth largest among all U.S. airports.
The parking structure, along with panels affixed to the terminal roof, will supply more than 50% of the airport’s energy. This project not only helps fulfill our goal of incorporating sustainable practices where we can, but it also provides additional amenities for our passengers.
The airport anticipates millions in savings for energy expenses over the 25-year agreement, which was made possible through state and federal energy reduction incentive programs and comes at no cost to the airport. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2021.
New Terminal Lounge Seating
The comfort and “no place like home” feeling of the QC Airport is about to get a whole lot comfier. The infamous recliners on the landside are popular for travelers to relax before a flight, but there’s only a few and they’re starting to show some wear. That’s why we’re not only replacing those recliners, but also adding seating near the Monocoupe and the B concourse where the recliners are currently located.
The new seating areas will have charging capabilities and will provide additional space to spread out so you can stay socially distanced while you wait for your flight. The seating on Concourse B will also be ADA-accessible.
So, feel free to grab a snack, charge up those devices for your flight and a take a load off while you wait. We anticipate the seating will be installed by September 2021.
New Outdoor Patio
A new outdoor space will provide sunshine or shade, tables and chairs so you can chill out before you head in to the terminal. Views of the airfield and B-gates will give you a front-row view of the planes arriving and departing. This patio is at the far-west of the terminal and publicly accessible for all visitors. Stone bench seating and picnic tables are available now and other seating, along with the sun-shades, will be added over the next few weeks.
New Parking System
Our parking system is about to get a major upgrade to enhance convenience and flexibility – starting as soon as you pull up.
For our frequent travelers, you can set up an account on your smartphone and enter or exit with Bluetooth. For all travelers, there will be a touchless entry – just wave your hand in front of the machine and a ticket will be dispersed. If you prefer, you can enter the lot using your cell phone number.
When it’s time to go, you’ll have the expanded ability to pay cash at other exit lanes besides the booth or you can pay by cell phone for a small fee, if you prefer. Paying by credit card will remain an option.
We know the last thing you want to do after you get home from a trip is deal with parking. That’s why our new system will offer better connectivity with customer service to quickly resolve any concerns and provide speedy answers.
The new parking system is expected to be installed by June 2021.
Intuitive Announcements
You might be surprised to learn how an announcement update will make a difference in your airport experience. The new overhead paging system will be ambient noise-sensing that can increase or decrease volume based on surrounding noise levels – a big deal when you need to hear important information!
The new system will also use visual paging on flight information screens for travelers or meeters and greeters who may have difficulties with hearing.
With the current system, only one announcement can be made at a time. When we have a bunch of flights leaving at around the same time (a typical occurrence during ‘normal’ travel times), that means 20-25 announcements, one at a time! With the new system, airlines will be able to communicate important information simultaneously to their gate areas.
We anticipate completing our new announcement system installation by November 2021.