With summer travel at its peak, Charlotte Douglas International Airport has achieved a new milestone in the terminal lobby expansion.
Starting July 31, two pedestrian skybridges connecting the Hourly Deck and Terminal opens, marking a major milestone in #CLTairport's Terminal Lobby Expansion project.
— CLT Airport (@CLTAirport) July 29, 2024
Located on the 5th floor of the Hourly Deck and linking to the 3rd level in the terminal, the skybridges… pic.twitter.com/vAsMNByGRj
On Wednesday, the airport will open two pedestrian sky bridges connecting to the hourly deck and terminal. The sky bridges on the fifth floor of the hourly parking deck will bring passengers under the glass canopy, protected from weather, and will eventually lead them to the third level of the lobby.
Travelers will no longer have to dodge cars and stop traffic to access the terminal, Chief Infrastructure Officer Jack Christine said.
“We think it should have a really good impact on the passenger vehicle lanes,” Christine said. “The private vehicle lanes, of which are the outer five lanes, that we won't have customers crossing in front of now.
"People still stop and pick up and drop off on those five lanes, so you still have traffic. It's not like the traffic is going to go away. But ... being able to efficiently move that traffic, and not have to worry about the customers crossing, is the goal.”
Despite the addition of the skywalks, Christine said passengers can still expect crowds that have caused congestion this summer.
“There's a lot of people coming to this terminal at one time,” Christine said. “No matter how many people we take off the roadway, the volume of vehicular traffic that's going to continue to come to the terminal is very high."
For passengers headed to the airport this week, airport officials said signage will be in place, and additional staff will be available for assistance.
The terminal lobby expansion is set for completion in 2025.
