Long security checkpoint lines during the morning peak at Toledo Express Airport should shrink following the installation yesterday of a second X-ray machine and walk-through metal detector, airport officials said.

Citing insufficient funds, federal officials last month turned down a Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority grant request for the second set of security devices.

But when the wait in line at the checkpoint became more than 30 minutes on Dec. 1, airport director Paul Toth said, the need was clear, no matter where the $70,000 came from.

“We were exceeding what I consider to be a comfortable waiting time for our passengers,” he said. “We re marketing ourselves as a convenient airport to use and we need to maintain that. The Monday after Thanksgiving put me over the edge.”

The port authority will seek reimbursement from the Transportation Security Administration when funds become available, he said.

“They didn t deny that we needed it. They just said they didn t have the money for it,” Mr. Toth said. If federal reimbursement is denied, he said, the expense was still worth it.

Bob Turay, regional director for the security administration, said the second set of equipment will be used only during peak travel periods - typically early morning, when TransMeridian Airlines daily flight to Orlando leaves and other carriers all have departures.

“We told them if they got it, we d be happy to use it,” Mr. Turay said.

Typically, peak travel volume around Christmas and New Year is less concentrated than at Thanksgiving, because vacation schedules are more scattered through the holiday period. Mr. Turay said though he ll be challenged to work around employees off-time requests, security checkpoints will have adequate manpower during the holidays.

Bookings are “very strong, very solid during the next two weeks,” Mr. Toth said. Travelers should be at the airport at least 90 minutes before their departure times.

First Published December 19, 2003, 1:09 p.m.