PITTSBURGH — After four years of intensive construction, Pittsburgh International Airport’s $1.7 billion Terminal Modernization program has reached substantial completion, offering passengers a fully upgraded travel experience.
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A joint venture of Pittsburgh-based PJ Dick, Hunt Construction Group, and Turner Construction achieved the milestone, which follows February’s report that the project was 80% complete. The program represents one of the largest airport construction efforts currently in the U.S.
“The building itself, if you look at it now, I think is actually inspirational,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. “Being in this space feels good, and that’s a pretty big statement for an airport today.”
The modernization replaces outdated facilities with an 811,000-square-foot terminal and a 1.1 million-square-foot parking garage, consolidating airline operations and public spaces under a single roof.
The project added nearly four miles of roadway and a 1,300-foot dual-level bridge connecting the terminal directly to the airside complex. Nearly 27 lane-miles of new and upgraded roadway were constructed, including terminal access roads and main bridges.
The program relied on no local tax dollars, and 90% of materials and labor were sourced regionally, emphasizing local economic growth. Workers installed 8 million pounds of structural steel and laid 17,000 feet of drainage piping beneath the site.
The terminal interior includes tree-like steel columns and 4,000 constellation lights designed to emulate the night sky.
The airport’s PIT2Work apprenticeship program connected local students to real-world construction experience in the building trades. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato called the program “an economic jet engine” that supports both infrastructure and workforce growth.
The modernization is tracking toward LEED Gold certification. Pittsburgh International’s independent solar- and natural gas-powered microgrid provides on-site power generation, enhancing campus energy resilience.
The Pittsburgh milestone follows several other billion-dollar airport projects in the U.S.:
Turner and FlatironDragados opened the first phase of a $3B Terminal 1 modernization.
A joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Clayco, and Bowa began work on a $1.3B Terminal D expansion in August.
Modernization projects of $700M and $608M, respectively, highlight a national trend toward terminal upgrades.
“The building itself, if you look at it now, I think is actually inspirational,” said Cassotis. “Being in this space feels good, and that’s a pretty big statement for an airport today.”
The Pittsburgh International Airport modernization now positions the facility as a regional hub equipped for increased passenger volumes, enhanced operational efficiency, and improved traveler experience, while fostering long-term economic and workforce benefits for southwestern Pennsylvania.
Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.
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