Pittsburgh International Airport — Roads & Bridges

Follow the Roads [and Bridges] to a Modern Airport Experience

Fay was awarded a contract to build a new network of roads and the arrival and departure bridges as part of a larger Terminal Modernization Program totaling $1.4 billion. Fay’s $194.6 million package includes the construction of new roadways, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, drainage, utilities, traffic control and earthwork. The highlight of the project is 1,300 ft dual-level bridges that lead to the terminal; the top will be reserved for departures, the second level for arrivals, and the ground level for rideshares, taxis and buses.

Construction

Fay began the construction portion of work with site preparation. Over the course of the project, a total of 160,000 cy of excavation and 360,000 cy of embankment were completed, and over 7,000 ft of reinforced concrete pipe was installed throughout the project area.
Additionally, 12 mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls were built to feed into both the north and south ends of the terminal bridge. Each individual pre-cast concrete panel features one of 21 unique designs created in conjunction with two large-scale public artists with the intention of supporting the airport’s “nature, technology and community” design vision. The piece is titled “Cross Currents,” and it was inspired by the importance of rivers to the Pittsburgh region. These walls come together to form a pulse pattern created by architectural form liners on the bridge.

Fay’s crowning feature is a 1,300 ft dual-level bridge for arriving and departing travelers that connects directly to the new terminal. Ten sets of piers were erected to support the structure, and 68 tub girders were then shipped in from a specialty supplier in Tampa, FL. The entire structure consists of 8,000,000 lbs of structural steel. Once the steel was set, Fay poured both bridge decks, completing the structure in full during September 2023. Four miles of roadway were also constructed, which connects I-376 to the new terminal building through a system of four smaller bridges and feeds into ramps that align them with the new terminal bridge. By December 2024, all new roads and bridges were paved and drivable.

During construction, Fay worked directly with Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) to coordinate lane restrictions and closures on active roadways around the airport when necessary. The ACAA relays any impacts encountered to media outlets in order to make sure the traveling public is aware of any changes. Additionally, when Fay’s construction impacted the main entranceway, night shifts were scheduled to avoid traffic impacts. However, a majority of Fay’s portion of this project was located away from the existing roadways of the landside of Pittsburgh International Airport, thus allowing full functionality of the existing airport infrastructure for travelers.
 

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Watch a “fly-through” video of Pittsburgh International Airport’s Terminal Modernization Program during the construction phase. (Credit: Pittsburgh International Airport)