Orlando International Airport is making a multi-billion dollar move to address the parking and traffic ailments that are frustrating travelers. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) disclosed plans for a new Consolidated Rental Car (ConRAC) facility, an investment of $2.2 billion. This project is part of a broader vision to enhance the efficiency of car rentals and significantly decrease parking space shortages.
As reported by WESH, the announcement indicated that the current disarray of rental car operations, which sprawls across multiple levels at Terminals A, B, and C, will be consolidated into this ConRAC structure. This strategic shift is expected to free up around 4,500 to 5,000 public parking spaces, simultaneously promising to unburden the roadways to and from the airport terminals for passenger traffic.
The transformative efforts aren't just centered on the distant finish line, as interim solutions have been set in motion. A nod to proactiveness, more than 2,000 additional parking spaces have already been created during the day at the airport complex, along with integrating a parking reservation system via the MCO app or website, as detailed by FOX 35 Orlando. Moreover, an upgrade to bus services and the deployment of a technologically advanced parking space identification system aim to reduce the hassles of airport arrival further.
Aside from parking alleviations, another chapter in the airport's expansion narrative emerges with a collaborative initiative between GOAA and United Airlines. The landmark lease agreement lays the foundation for a new Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) complex at MCO. This move aligns with GOAA's strategic plan, which stipulates championing multi-industry innovation initiatives. The project will include many enhancements, such as a new hangar and warehouse, among other renovations.
The ConRAC, slated for completion in 2032, is a formidable project sustained by customer facility charges.
