Hector International Airport expansion could include parking garage

As Hector International Airport continues work on its expansion project, officials say there have always been plans for a parking garage in its master plan.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Hector International Airport’s expansion will add five terminals and update its apron.

The goal is to start breaking ground in September and finish the project by the end of 2025.

Officials say the city’s growth is one big reason for change with data that shows passenger boardings are trending upwards in the last twenty years.

“This is all based on a terminal area study that was completed. It’s on our website if you want to look at the terminal area study. The Federal Aviation Administration requires that study to be completed before we can justify expansion of the terminal. We’ll work with the contractor, the architect and the engineering partners to see if we can start this year,” said Dobberstein.

The Fargo airport posted renderings of the remodeling project on social media.

Many people responded by sharing their frustrations about a lack of better parking options, especially during cold weather months.

“We’ve been working with the city and some local experts on parking. Not only SP+ which manages our parking lot now and Walker Consultants in the city to see if it’s feasible for us at the same time as doing the expansion and possibly put in a parking garage,” Dobberstein says.

He says adding a parking garage will not come from the federal budget like the terminal expansion does.

“It’s something that we’re looking at. We’ve heard that message loud and clear. The airport authority definitely wants to be fiscally responsible as well. With limited federal funding and limited state funding that we have, the garage doesn’t qualify for any federal funding because it’s revenue-producing. So, that would have to be a bond issue or something of that nature. So, time will tell but stay tuned. We’ll be discussing that over the next few weeks,” he said.

Dobberstein says the expansion project could cost up to $125 million.

He adds if the airport expands with a parking garage, that project alone could cost up to $43 million.