Construction of a new 811,000-square-foot terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport is on schedule for a fall opening.
The addition of the new terminal and renovations to existing concourses are part of a $1.57 billion Terminal Modernization Program that also includes 6,000 additional parking spots in nearby lots and in a new garage, with three times the amount of covered parking.
“It’s built by Pittsburgh for Pittsburgh,” Paul Hoback, executive vice president and chief development officer, Allegheny County Airport Authority, told a group of reporters touring the construction site Monday afternoon.
The modernization program is intended to create a more efficient and enjoyable experience for travelers by increasing the number of security checkpoints, reducing the time it takes to get from curbside to airside by 50%, and adding more concessions and retail along with a dedicated ground transportation center and new customer service building.
The current terminal opened in 1992 and was built to be a major connecting hub for US Airways, with only 20% of air traffic starting or ending in Pittsburgh, compared with the 98% origin and destination traffic today.
A more efficient baggage handling system is being put into place. Gone will be the eight miles of baggage conveyors and the people mover system that takes passengers from the exisiting landside terminal to the airside terminal. The new terminal connects with the existing terminal across a bridge and through a tunnel, representing the Fort Pitt tunnel and bridge experience.
Inspiring a sense of place, a sense of Pittsburgh and the entire region is the goal. “Representing Pittsburgh from a nature, technology and community perspective,” Hoback pointed out.
The roof design represents the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, with plenty of windows, allowing for large amounts of natural light.
An intuitive way finding system with LED lights and terrazzo flooring is in place to guide travelers on their way.
A meeter and greeter space, for family and friends to greet their loved ones as they arrive in Pittsburgh, will be surrounded by concessions, lending that sense of community that doesn’t exist in the current facility.
Another highlight: two airside terraces, with landscaped outdoor areas for travelers to enjoy after passing through security, complete with a pet relief area and a heated walkway on one of the terraces.
This modernization program is expected to deliver long-term economic benefits to the airport and the region by generating approximately $2.5 billion in economic activity and more than $27 million in state and local income tax, all without using a single local tax dollar, according to the airport authority. Funding came from fees from airlines, airport authority revenue and $25 million from the federal government.
The project utilized as many local resources and local contractors as possible and created 14,300 direct and indirect jobs.
Officials are looking at a possible re-use of the existing landside terminal building while affording the new terminal the capability to meet all projected airline growth and passenger traffic.
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