Roger Johnson, airport program executive at Jacobs, has over 45 years of construction, construction management, program management, engineering, environmental management and planning experience. As former deputy executive director of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the city authority that owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport, he established its Airports Development Group that completed over $8 billion in capital improvements in seven years.

ENR senior transportation editor Aileen Cho asked Johnson for his thoughts on airport design and construction post-coronavirus. This interview has been edited and condensed.

You spoke on an Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) webinar [cosponsored by Airport Consultants Council and Associated General Contractors] on the challenges of COVID-19. What were the major takeaways from the webinar?

该网络研讨会的成立是为了为机场高管提供论坛，以听取同事如何应对COVID-19-19对资本改善计划（CIP）所面临的挑战。从我的角度来看，有很多重大收获。

在许多情况下,使用减少我机场n operation to optimize improvements already underway. For example, Nashville was able to significantly expedite a terminal renovation project by working with the contractor to re-phase the project. A terrazzo replacement project that had approximately 21 phases was now being done in one phase. Austin airport has taken this opportunity to completely renovate its outbound baggage system.

The pandemic has resulted in many airports reassessing their CIPs. However, we did not hear of any airports completely canceling one In many cases, the airports are reassessing the sequence and schedule of implementing certain projects based on demand and current operations. Many airports reported that they are looking at performing deferred airfield projects earlier than previously planned to take advantage of the reduction in operations. In the uncertainty of COVID-19 impacts and duration, airports are focusing on developing projections and “milestones” or “triggers” that will help them make decisions on when to initiate projects.

The last takeaway is that the pandemic has resulted in many airports and airlines working more closely together with respect to facility issues.

Is there anticipation of potential delays in future airport construction opportunities?

Jacobs has already seen some clients delay moving forward with some capacity enhancement projects that are in planning. There appears to be a consensus that aviation will rebound. However, there is also a consensus that the recovery will probably not look like any recoveries we have experienced over the past 20 years. As we look at impacts due to 9/11, SARS, H1N1 and the recession, we can see a fairly consistent recovery pattern. No one has an idea yet of what the global and national recovery pattern is going to look like this time. As a company, I would say that what we are seeing is a shift in construction opportunities from capacity-enhancing to more opportunistic projects taking advantage of the current reduction in operations. As the country opens up and aviation activity is better defined, we expect to see the balance shift back.

How will airports prepare for the potential medium- to long-term scenarios in terms of design and construction? What do you envision as possible scenarios?

There are so many factors that will ultimately impact the answer to this question. However, I believe there are a number of things that airports can and should be doing right now.

机场需要在其资本计划中建立灵活性或灵活性，以便能够回应恢复的样子。机场必须准备好利用可能影响项目时间表的其他因素。当经济衰退袭击美国时，联邦政府提出了一项刺激法案，为“铲子就绪”项目提供了资金。新利18备用网址我正在管理当时的41亿美元的LAX开发计划。当刺激资金出现时，LAX只能确定一个符合铲子就绪定义的1400万美元项目。机场应审查其CIPS，并寻找可能会资助的近期项目。新利18备用网址

准备就绪的一部分可能包括对“右规模”和潜在阶段机会的项目的评估。新利18备用网址大多数CIP是基于可能适用于当今环境的假设。短期内右规模的另一个例子可能是考虑维护而不是人行道的康复。密封涂层路面可以在康复成本的十分之一中完成，并可能提供多年的使用寿命，从而使机场有时间监视运营恢复。

Covid-19也将改变我们的飞行方式。在近期，机场必须开始研究如何应对即将到来的健康和安全要求。设计不仅必须将乘客吞吐量视为时间的函数（例如，每小时筛选的乘客），而且还必须将某种形式的医疗监控和社交距离作为永久要求。机场需要开始与租户和特许经营者合作，以确定潜在的解决方案，因此当经济开始反弹时，他们准备就绪。

I believe the key to long-term scenarios is robust industry monitoring. It is going to take some time before any of us understand how aviation is going to respond long-term to this pandemic. Historical operations forecasts are no longer reliable indicators of when projects should be considered.

Are you seeing numerous, or just a few, cases of airport designs that are delayed in construction?

Each airport is responding differently. Some airports have delayed construction, while others are accelerating it. Others still are changing the nature of what they are doing. Austin, Texas has delayed the terminal element of its capital program but is accelerating other elements including enabling projects. LAX has accelerated construction of the Automated People Mover, giving the contractor almost unconstrained access to the Central Terminal Area roadway. Each airport is unique.

What are some potential technologies that could be implemented in post-pandemic airport design?

我们处理乘客和行李的方式将改变。社会疏远和旨在减少潜在暴露的类似活动将留在这里。我相信我们将看到更多的乘客报名参加生物识别筛查。我们最终可能会提出一个解决场外袋滴的解决方案。我们一定会看到自行车检查成为常态。无触摸的办理登机手续可能会加速。我们已经看到几个机场正在运行TSA试点计划，以加速签到。

尚未确定，在兴奋后环境中的食品和饮料运营尚未完成。如果不消除自助餐风格的餐饮，我们一定会减少。

A serious question that will require some significant investigation is how we address social distancing requirements within existing facilities. Current metrics relative to factors such as “level of service” standards in hold rooms and such are going to have to be reevaluated and redefined.

您对大流行对交通运输组合的潜在长期影响的最终想法是什么，道路，铁路和机场的交通减少和收入减少？

Many of our clients are committed to existing critical projects and programs. While we see a shift in focus from expansion to rehabilitation and maintenance, many of our transportation infrastructure programs and projects are critical and have been sustained by government stimulus packages. We expect that future transportation-related stimulus will catalyze and drive economic recovery.