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Passengers entering Pittsburgh International Airport will soon pass through a new terminal on their way to catch a flight.
A joint venture of Pittsburgh-based PJ Dick, Hunt Construction Group of Indianapolis and Turner Construction of New York City has reached substantial completion on $1.7 billion terminal modernization program at Pittsburgh International Airport, according to a press release shared with Construction Dive. The milestone closes one of the the largest airport construction efforts in the countryafter 80% completion in February.
The project replaces the outdated facilities with a new 811,000-square-foot terminal and 1.1 million-square-foot parking structure, according to the project fact sheet. Together, they consolidate airline operations and public spaces under one roof, adding nearly four miles of new roadway and a 1,300-foot, two-level bridge that connects the new terminal directly to the airfield complex.
Dallas-based Jacobs served as program director, according to airport officials.
The project, which began in 2021, did not rely on local tax dollars, and 90 percent of the materials and labor used came from the region, according to the project fact sheet.
The team of PJ Dick, Hunt and Turner also built nearly 27 miles of new and improved carriageway, including access roads and main terminal bridges. The crew installed 8 million pounds of structural steel for the terminal bridge and laid 17,000 feet of drainage pipes under the site.
Interior view of Pittsburgh International Airport’s tree-shaped steel columns and constellation lights emulating the night sky.
Courtesy of Pittsburgh International Airport
Inside, workers installed tree-like steel columns and mounted 4,000 constellation lights that emulate the night sky.
The airport combined the construction push with its own PIT2Work learning programwhich connected local students with on-the-job training in the construction trades. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato called the initiative “an economic jet engine” that built both a terminal and a skilled workforce for the region.
Modernization also prioritizes sustainability and resilience, according to the fact sheet. The project is moving toward LEED Gold certification, while the airport’s independent solar and natural gas-powered microgrid provides on-site generation for the entire campus.
The milestone in Pittsburgh follows a string of billion-dollar terminal projects across the country. In recent months, Turner and FlatironDragados have opened the first phase of The $3 billion Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport. In Chicago, a joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Clayco and Bowa began in August The $1.3 billion O’Hare International Airport Terminal D.
Other projects include the $700 million modernization project at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee and the Expansion of the terminal lobby for 608 million dollars in charlotte
“The building itself, if you look at it now, I think it’s really inspiring,” Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport, said in the statement. “Being in this space feels good, and that’s a pretty big statement for an airport today.”
