Major construction on Salt Lake's airport officially began last summer, but the $1.8 billion project is about to move into a new phase which will impact visitors to the airport. Thus far, construction has happened away from the terminal area, but all that is about to change in a big way.

KSL reports that beginning Oct. 1, people won't be able to pick up or drop off passengers, inside the parking garage on the second level. Those four lanes on the right side of the entrance ramp will shut down. Parking will still be available until the new parking structure is completed. However, the rental car canopies will be taken down and the exit ramp of the drive-thru will actually empty out into an active work zone.

This redesigning the airport is necessary, because it is outdated and no longer efficient in terms of traffic flow, for passengers getting in and out of the airport, as well as for the airplanes themselves. The new concourse design will eliminate the bottlenecks at the gates, and the entire project will bring the airport up to current earthquake standards. Remarkably, all work will be done while the airport itself remains fully operational.

The project will be completed in several phases, with the final phase completed in 2022.