From staff reports

MORRISVILLE -- The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board has voted to expand its Terminal 1 modernization project to include a new commercial curb and exterior painting.

The changes will increase the project budget from $60 to $65 million. The vote took place Thursday at the Airport Authority's monthly meeting.

"Our goal always is to improve the passenger experience," said RDU Airport Authority Board Chair Terry Yeargan. "These changes to the commercial curb and the exterior of the building will allow us to meet this goal and make a valuable investment in the airport's infrastructure, which will serve us for years to come."

To build a new commercial curb, construction crews will demolish the existing area at Terminal 1 and construct a canopy, a portion of which will extend between the terminal building and the commercial curb.

When completed, Terminal 1 will feature:

n New exterior building design

n Higher ceilings in the ticketing and bag claim areas

n Glass and translucent material to allow more natural light in the building

n An inline baggage handling system

n Larger security checkpoint that is easy navigate

Brantley extends stay

On Friday, the board announced that RDU Airport Director John Brantley will remain in his position through the fall. In March, Brantley announced his retirement effective July 31. The board asked Brantley to remain in his position until a successor is identified.

"The search is going very well, and we want to ensure a smooth transition when the next airport director is selected," said Yeargan. "The board is very thankful that John has agreed to assist us with the transition by remaining in his position until the fall."