Lihu‘e Airport set to receive $24 million for bomb detection

The ability to screen for improvised explosion devices will be one of several enhancements estimated to cost nearly $24 million to improve the security at Lihu‘e Airport, slated for completion by July 2009.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in April 2008, according to state officials.

The 872-acre hub that offers passenger and aircraft facilities for domestic overseas carriers, inter-island carriers, commuter and air taxis will be given roughly $9.5 million from the Transportation Security Administration and $4.9 million, slated for Gov. Linda Lingle’s administration’s budget request for the 2009 fiscal year. Another $6 million has been allocated as part of the state’s 12-year, $2.3 billion airports modernization plan and another $2.6 million was previously allocated from state coffers.

The airport’s new design is scheduled to be completed in December.

The project will finance a new in-line baggage screening system that is equipped with an Explosive Detection System, according to a prepared statement from Lingle’s office.

With the upgrade, Lihu‘e airport will get a new baggage conveyor system that includes EDS monitoring and electrical rooms, allowing more support for screeners in identifying more difficult-to-detect types of bomb components and detonators, according to the TSA.

Further improvements to the airport include removing stand-alone baggage screening machines from the ticket lobbies, intended to decrease the chances of bags being tampered with once they are checked in.

According to the TSA, roughly 1,500 explosive detection systems have been implemented and 7,400 explosive trace detection machines are in use at airports around the country.

• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.