Massachusetts Port Authority officials say a recently approved consolidated car rental center at Logan International Airport will reduce traffic congestion at the airport and make it easier for rental-car and public-transportation customers to get to their desired locations at the terminals.

The board is expected to meet in May and approve financing for the new center, which will include bonds as well as funds from car-rental fees.

The authority's board on April 21 approved a $300 million budget for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Port officials say consolidating all of the offices will allow the port to reduce the shuttle buses needed from more than 100 to 28, since all car-rental customers will be going to the same place. That should improve traffic around the airport and at curbside near the terminals.

A port spokesman said that the airport has already made some preliminary changes to clear the way for construction. The planned four-level garage and customer service building will bring together the nine car rental companies at Logan. They currently have separate offices near where the new structure will be located.

The project will also allow Logan to open up the arrival and departure roadways to car-rental shuttles and to those coming from the MBTA Blue Line, which will benefit public transportation customers.

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