With a collection of dignitaries on hand to celebrate, officials from Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week introducing its new state-of-the-art U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility.
The new offering is expected to immediately double the airport’s ability to process international arrivals from about 200 passengers an hour to 400, and it will eventually be capable of processing 600.
The facility includes a 212-foot-long, 8-foot-high art exhibit by Mikyoung Kim called “Time Lines.” Commissioned by the city Economic Development Department’s Arts in Public Places program, the piece uses holographic imagery and illustrates the world’s time zones, using Austin’s location as the middle of the display.
Congressman Michael McCaul, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee; Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell; and Judson Murdock, director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, were on hand for the grand opening, which marked the completion of the lower level of the Terminal East Infill project.
A subsequent project will involve renovating the upper level to build a connection between a ticket lobby and the east concourse around Gate 5. It will add Transportation Security Administration screening lanes for departing passengers and will improve passenger flow, airport officials say.
