Airport plans additional security points

Jace Radke

Tuesday, March 11, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks McCarran, International Airport has increased the number of its security checkpoints from 13 to 22.

The number of checkpoints at the A and B gates has gone from four gates to seven; C gates have increased from three to five checkpoints; D Gates from four to six; and Terminal 2 gates from two to four.

McCarran has tentative plans to add more checkpoints at the C and D gates by summer 2004 to accommodate new passengers from the proposed D gate expansion.

The D gate expansion will add another wing of gates at a cost of $90 million, including $10 million in federal funds. That project is currently out to bid and is expected to be completed in August 2004.

A total of six new security checkpoints for the C and D gates are scheduled to open with the new wing. This mezzanine expansion would add a floor above the baggage claim area to allow for more space for screening on the second floor.

It hasn't been determined how many of the six new screening stations will be used for C gates and how many will serve D gates. The $10 million project is scheduled to begin construction this summer and be completed in July 2004.

Expansion projects at the airport are based on the number of travelers and flights to and from Las Vegas and are not built unless the traffic flow is great enough to support the new facilities. Expansions at the airport have been slowed by the drop in travelers after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, officials said.

Airport officials said that the D gate and mezzanine expansions are planned, but that those plans are flexible.