The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the design and construction of a new passenger terminal at Trenton-Mercer Airport in Mercer County, New Jersey.
Mercer County proposed replacing the old terminal, which was built in the 1970s, with a modern terminal adjacent to the existing terminal. The purpose of a new terminal would be to better accommodate current airport users and to meet forecasted demands to the year 2035. The proposed terminal will have four aircraft gates, a TSA checkpoint, baggage screening, concessions, waiting areas and restrooms.
The FAA issued the Finding of No Significant Impacts and Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD) for the environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed new passenger facility at the nearly century-old airport in Ewing Township.
The EA process, governed by the FAA, included data collection, development and analysis of alternatives, identification and analysis of environmental impacts of the proposed terminal, and a public participation. The purpose of the EA is to evaluate the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the terminal project, and to look for ways to minimize or avoid potential environmental impacts.
Brian Hughes (above), a Mercer County executive, said, “This is great news for Trenton-Mercer Airport and the many thousands of travelers who pass through our passenger facility. We appreciate the FAA’s diligence in its review of the environmental assessment for the proposed new airport terminal, and we’re pleased that we have the go-ahead to advance this important project.
“The existing terminal at Trenton-Mercer Airport is about one-third the size it should be for the number of travelers currently using it. As we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, we expect an increasing demand for leisure travel, and nationwide and at Trenton-Mercer, we are seeing airlines adding new flights and reviving old ones.”