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Walt Froman Steps into Retirement
With more than 20 years of service under his belt, there’s no question that Senior Manager of Concessions Operations Walt Froman is one of the most familiar faces at PDX.
In honor of his retirement, we’re reprising this story from our archives. Take a moment to read about the friendly, fashionable, fast-walking fan of the unique shops and restaurants that help make our airport consistently one of America’s Best.
Join us virtually this Wednesday, March 24 at 9 a.m. as we honor Walt and his significant contributions to PDX.
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What's New With PDX Next: Bag Road Reroute Extended and North Trash Node Closure
Last week we shared an adjustment to the roadway where vehicles access the south bag road. This reroute is extended and will be in place through Friday, March 26. The new entrance keeps vehicles safely outside the work area while the Concourse Connector moves.
As a reminder, the north trash node closes Tuesday, March 23 at 11:59 p.m. and reopens Friday, March 26 at 4 p.m. A dumpster will be placed on the ramp near Gate D3 for use during the closure. Read all the PDX Next updates for March.
Want to know what else is new with PDX Next? We'll keep you in the know on the PDX employee website, where we post project updates every month. Have questions or suggestions about construction? Email hello@pdxnext.com.
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Get the Latest PDX Next News in 30 Minutes
Want the inside scoop on construction at PDX? Jen Reynolds with the Port of Portland along with Pat Bifone and Caitlin Powell of Hoffman-Skanska will share the latest construction updates and answer your questions about PDX Next in just 30 minutes. They’ll even give you an early look at architectural renderings and share some behind-the-scenes photos and videos!
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Say Farewell to Clocktower Plaza
From Monday, March 22 through Saturday, March 27 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), we're sending Clocktower Plaza off in style.
Stop by to check out the Tillamook Yum Buses, try some tasty samples and say so long, farewell to one of PDX's most iconic structures as we make way for the new main terminal. Don't forget to frequent your favorite Clocktower Plaza shops and restaurants before they close on Monday, April 5!
And don't worry – there will still be plenty of pre-security options. Portland Roasting in the ticket lobby and Peet's Coffee in baggage claim aren't going anywhere, Elephants is opening two new locations in April (one in the ticket lobby near the former Starbucks and one between the escalators in the north baggage claim), and Travel Mart is opening a new location up against the windows in baggage claim, about halfway between the two elevators.
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Celebrating Superstar PDX People
From face coverings at work to plexiglass shields on counters, work life looks a little different these days for PDX People. But what hasn’t changed is the commitment to customer service. Each employee at PDX raises the bar and leads by example – it’s why our airport continues to be one of America’s Best.
To show our appreciation for the employees who make it all happen, we recently hosted the annual PDX Excellence in Service awards where customer service Superstars representing each of the airport's industries – airlines, concessions, transportation and more – are nominated by their teams. Read the full story, look through the night's photos and click through the slideshow of appreciation quotes from the teams and managers of this year's winners.
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Most PDX Workers Should be Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine by April 19
No later than March 29, vaccinations may begin for Phase 1B, Group 6, which includes people aged 45 and older with underlying conditions and some groups most vulnerable to COVID-19. On April 19, vaccinations may begin for Phase 1B, Group 7, which includes all frontline workers – which is believed to include most people who work at PDX – and people with underlying conditions aged 16-44. On May 1, all Oregonians age 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination. [Live in Washington? Check your eligibility here.]
We’re hopeful the drive-thru vaccination clinic in the PDX Red Lot can help vaccinate thousands in the weeks to come and are grateful for the work of Port of Portland and OHSU staff as well as Red Cross volunteers who are making it happen. We'll continue to share information as more details are available.
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Spring Break Brings Gradual Return to Travel, Changes at PDX
While spring 2021 will look better than last year’s spring break, passenger numbers still will be significantly lower this spring than in 2019.
Over the spring break travel period – March 18 through April 4 – PDX expects to welcome about 447,000 travelers. On 11 of these 18 days, just over 25,000 travelers are expected to pass through PDX each day. The busiest single day is predicted to be April 1 with a projected total of 25,737 travelers that day. (For context, the busiest spring travel days in 2019 saw more than 57,000 travelers pass through PDX each day.)
Additionally, Allegiant Air starts service from PDX to Santa Maria, Calif. on April 15, to Billings and Missoula, Mont. on May 7 and to Monterey, Calif. and Idaho Falls on May 28. Learn more about other spring changes at PDX.
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#PDXLive with Artists lo Palmer and Samantha Wall
On Wednesday, March 24 at 1:30 p.m., you're invited to a virtual event with acclaimed Pacific Northwest artists lo Palmer and Samantha Wall, who each have beautiful installations currently on display at PDX.
Join us on the PDX Facebook page as we commemorate Women’s History Month with these two incredible women, lo and Sam, who will share their work and highlight the women who have inspired them in a moderated discussion with Port of Portland Art Coordinator, Wendy Given.
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PDX in Pictures
At about 11:30 p.m. last Tuesday night, a big project got underway. And by big, we mean BIG: The work involved moving a section of the Concourse Connector that’s 306 feet long and weighs an impressive 1.8 million pounds.
Even though the move to the south side of Concourse C took only four hours [fun fact: the transporters travel at the breakneck speed of 0.625 mph.], the project itself required about one year of planning. It’s also only halfway executed – there will be a repeat performance this week to move a second section over to the north side of Concourse E.
So why the big move for the beloved steel structure? Because at PDX, we’re all about innovation and reuse. As mentioned above, the now split Concourse Connector will be moved to the north and south sides of the airport to create two new bypasses for employees and passengers to get safely around the new main terminal construction. Want more views of the action? Check out this time-lapse video of the move.
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