As part of an expansion program to accommodate growing numbers of daily operations and people using the airport, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport began construction on a new consolidated rental car facility earlier this year. The facility, or CONRAC, is expected to be operational by 2009.

The new four-level consolidated rental car facility will accommodate a minimum of 10 rental car agencies, 8,670 vehicle garage spaces, a customer service center and other facilities and is estimated to cost $385 million.

Once the facility is complete, it will replace Hartsfield-Jackson’s existing rental car areas and provide a new venue where travelers can find vehicles, airport officials said.

The centerpiece of the new CONRAC facility will be the construction of a new 1.5 mile, dual lane elevated Automated People Mover, or APM, which will provide easy customer access between the new rental car complex and the Airport's terminal.

The APM will have an intermediate stop at the Georgia International Convention Center. There would be three stations along the rail where the APMs would be able to stop for passengers.

The airport’s budget for the 2007 fiscal year is $281.3 million and the largest expense at $67 million, goes toward personnel costs.