Designs have been released and construction contracts were awarded recently for the Wilmington International Airport's planned terminal expansion project.

The airport's proposed designs were released earlier this month during the New Hanover County Airport Authority's meeting, said Granseur Dick, the airport's planning and development director.

The New Hanover County Airport Authority awarded a design work authorization to Talbert and Bright Inc., a Wilmington design firm, this month for completion of Construction Contract 3 for about $1.9 million, Dick said. This will allow the company to complete the remaining 70 percent of design work for the project.

Talbert and Bright Inc. was awarded a nearly $2 million contract for designs last year for the airport’s first phase of improvements and expansion, which have been separated into three different construction contracts to help push the project forward.

The designs were released this month for Construction Contracts 1 and 2, and about 30 percent of design work for Contract 3. The project is estimated to cost about $54 million total, Dick said.

In July, airport officials said the project was ahead of schedule and was slated to begin construction on the first contract this fall.

According to airport documents, the first construction contract includes reconfiguring the TSA outbound baggage handling areas to make space for work related to Contract 2. Completion of the first contract is set for March 2019, Dick said.

The second contract is planned to include the expansion of the airline ticket office and outbound baggage area, with expected completion in early 2020. This portion of the project is estimated at $12 million.

And the final construction contract will include work on a new concourse, gate area and expansion of the inbound baggage handling area, according to airport documents. This work is slated to cost about $40 million with an estimated completion in the spring of 2022.

Recently released designs for the project showed a slightly updated terminal expansion footprint and renderings for the airport's baggage claim, ticket counter and circulation, and new gate area circulation and concessions, Dick said.

Wilmington-headquartered construction firm Monteith Construction Corp. was also awarded a $1.8 million construction contract this month, Dick said. The company's bid was one of three received for Construction Contract 1.

The first contract will allow the airport to begin expansion-related tasks while the remaining portions of the terminal expansion are in design, Dick previously said.

Bids for the first contract were also received from Daniels and Daniels Construction Co. Inc. for a base bid of $2.2 million and another base bid was received from W.M. Jordan Co. for $1.9 million.

In addition, Monteith was also awarded a $4,500 contract to install a set of rolling stairs, which would ease maintenance of the new baggage handling equipment that’s part of the first contract.

Design work is also slated to begin for the airport's air carrier apron expansion. For that work, Talbert and Bright were awarded a separate contract this month at more than $280,000.

While not part of the original the project, the apron expansion is related to the terminal expansion project.

"The terminal expansion consumed much of the available apron space, so the apron expansion will recapture that space and allow for more flexibility of aircraft parking at the terminal and maneuvering. And could allow for additional passenger gates and jet bridges," Dick said.

"The apron expansion does make airline use of the terminal expansion more efficient," he added.

This apron expansion will replace the apron space that will be lost because of the expanded terminal building footprint, Dick said in an email.

"The work authorization for the terminal expansion design means that we can process through design and permitting of our complete terminal expansion project," Dick said. "And the work authorization for the apron expansion means that we are planning for the most efficient use of that terminal expansion to better serve our carriers and the traveling public."