An airport expansion at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in south Fort Myers will take nearly four more years to complete after officials approved major structural redesigns that add more than $55 million in costs.
Video Above: RS W Airport building damaged in expansion project
The project was initially expected to wrap up in October, but issues with column stability and architectural planning have pushed back the timeline.
According to officials with the Lee County Port Authority, the redesign will require reinforcing about 80 structural columns — many of which are load-bearing — and completing over 16,000 work hours of concrete demolition.
Steel and concrete costs have already exceeded $43 million, and additional work will push that total by another $55 million.
Contractors say the delays stemmed from problems uncovered after the initial design phase.
Manhattan Construction, the lead contractor, said it spent 18 months with the architectural company, AtkinsRéalis, going over structural flaws discovered during construction. A third-party structural engineer was brought in to confirm the scope of the issues.
More : RSW airport expansion project over budget and delayed amid design flaws
The project, which will now span 43 months across four phases, includes extensive demolition, steelwork, and shifting the temporary checkpoint to a new area.
The developer emphasized that the major redesign elements are now complete, and any remaining design work is considered minor architectural details.
Port Authority board members voiced concerns about the timeline and cost, but were told that rejecting the plan would lead to a five- to six-year delay and cost as much as $500 million. Board members were reassured that both developers have signed off on the updated plans and are ready to begin work.
If you'd like, I can also create a visual project timeline or financial summary chart.
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