San Jose one step closer to airport expansion
Mallory Moench Jan. 14, 2020 Updated: Jan. 14, 2020 7:52 p.m.
The San Jose City Council gave the green light Tuesday to finalize an airport expansion plan to keep up with booming passenger growth — one that could boost the economy but raises climate change concerns. The council also approved creating fee reductions for airlines to use less polluting fuel in their ground vehicles and convert them to hybrid or electric power.
“I’m happy to be saying we’re bursting at the seams and it’s time for us to build out the infrastructure and meet the demand,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said at Tuesday’s meeting.
The updated airport master plan would add six new gates, two parking garages and a hotel, and rearrange taxiways to make operations safer and more efficient at the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. It’s just the first step — a final vote is expected in March and then further approval would be needed for individual projects, with construction not starting until August at the earliest.