Steven Picou, Executive Director of the Lafayette Regional Airport, visits with Jan Swift, Host of Discover Lafayette, to discuss the ongoing progress of construction of Lafayette’s new terminal, as well as the impact the COVID-19 virus on air travel numbers at the airport.

A native of Cut Off in Lafourche Parish, Picou graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor's degree in professional aviation and obtained his commercial, multi-engine, instrument pilot's license at Tech the same year. He has worked at other airports around the country in New Orleans, Albuquerque, and Amarillo. His experience includes remodeling and building new terminals.

Picou was hired in 2015 by the Lafayette Airport Commission as the body was poised to move forward with the construction of a larger terminal, an expanded parking lot, and other facility upgrades. In order to raise matching funds needed to obtain federal and state funding for the project, in December 2014 Lafayette Parish residents overwhelmingly approved a temporary one-cent tax to be imposed from April 1 through November 30, 2015. Approximately $33.5 million was raised during that time, with all funds being dedicated to the airport terminal project.

https://www.facebook.com/LafayetteRegionalAirport/videos/1045675319137061/
Watch the video to take a tour of the new Terminal Drive and see construction progress as of March 2020.

The $90 million terminal project is funded by thirteen sources which include the local tax proceeds collected in 2015 along with federal and state grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Louisiana State Department of Transportation (DOTD) Aviation Division, La. DOTD, and airport savings. The total cost of the project may reach $130 million when a new FAA facility, rental car area, and other upgrades are completed. Lemoine Manhattan, a joint venture of The Lemoine Company and Manhattan Construction Company, is the prime contractor for the new terminal.

Construction of the new airport terminal and upgraded facilities began in 2018 and is projected to be completed in September 2021. Picou says "the project is on time and on within its budget." Lafayette is the 'poster child' for the FAA as to how communities should go about funding projects and Picou says "it goes a long way when you can bring something to the table when you're asking for financial help in building a facility."

Picou likens his job to that as mayor of a city. He says, "I'm not elected but I do serve as the "Mayor" of the Airport working with the Lafayette Airport Commission's seven members, who are vested with authority similar to that of a City Council. The airport has its own law enforcement (contracted with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office) and its own aircraft fire-fighting rescue services (contracted with the Rural Metro Corporation). The Airport encompasses approximately 1,116 acres over four separate tracts of land which include the airfield, hangars, terminal building, aviation and non-aviation facilities, and safety areas, all of which are overseen by Picou and the Lafayette Airport Commission.

While the airport partners with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the airlines, it does not have control of their operations. The flight partnership is three-prong: Lafayette Regional Airport is your gateway to travel and is responsible for roadways, the maintenance of all facilities and infrastructure such as the terminal and runways, keeping the grounds safe, and providing space for parking and rental car lots. The TSA is responsible for the safe and secure screening of all passengers. (*Note that a second TSA screening line was scheduled to be opened but the pandemic has delayed this addition.) And thirdly,