Moon Township – Construction on Pittsburgh’s $1.57 billion landside terminal is nearing completion and is on track for a fall 2025 debut.
The new terminal will replace the outdated, 33-year-old facility, addressing inefficiencies and accommodating growing passenger demand with advanced technology and improved security features. A lot of the security checkpoints are small and aren’t able to fully accommodate passengers. Many of these issues will be fixed with the new terminal. There will be a lot of technological advancements as well as an increase in efficiency.
There will be a bridge that connects the landside terminal to the airside terminal, which will replicate the Fort Pitt tunnel. This will replace the famous people-mover trains.
At this point, there is a lot of scaffolding, but it is coming together as crews are working to get it done. According to Paul Hoback, the chief development officer, there are about 1,200 construction workers on site.
The new terminal will have a nature-oriented feel. The rolling roof represents the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania and the tri-state area. This will allow more natural light to fill the building. The ceiling also has starlight-like lights.
There’s also a designated space for meet-and-greets, which is perfect for families. It’s a Pittsburgh tradition to park and catch up with loved ones inside, and now, there will be a dedicated area for just that. Plus, outdoor terraces will feature green spaces where people can relax or unwind, especially on nice days before catching a flight.
The columns are made to look like trees, and the roof was supposed to be real wood, but they opted for a wood-like material. After testing the two kinds of ceilings, 80% of the people picked the fake wood.
“When the project was originally designed, we were intending to use real wood,” said Hoback. “Then we discovered from the architect that we would have to put in a five million dollar humidification system to make this not be maintained for 10 years.”
The old landside terminal was very inefficient, as they had eight miles of baggage systems, but with the new system, it will go much faster. The new system will get luggage to the planes faster. This will be efficient for all passengers.
There will be 12 TSA lanes and 1 lane for employees. New technology will be used so you will not need to take out liquids or laptops. This will help cut down on top so you can get through security in an efficient time. This will be for everyone, including pre-check and clear.
“On opening day, 12 lanes will be operational as well as an employee lane” Said Hoback “ We will have all new equipment, all of the latest and greatest which means our passengers won’t have to take out their liquids from their bags, they won’t have to take out their laptops and Ipads.”
There will be a new parking garage as well with state-of-the art-technology to help you park by using guidance systems and displays to help you find open parking spots. This garage will be a 3,300 space lot and will have covered parking. There will be accommodations for electric vehicles.
The airport won’t just be helping the passengers, but it’ll help the community in a huge way. This project is expected to bring a total of 14,300 jobs to the area. It is estimated that there will be a positive $2.5 billion economic impact. 90% of the airport’s materials and services were sourced locally.
The opening date of this terminal is not set in stone yet, but in the fall, there will be a new terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport. For more information, check the airport’s website.
