Bradley International Airport Opens Newly Constructed Exit Corridor to Passengers
The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) is pleased to announce that a major milestone has been reached for one of two major construction projects at Bradley International Airport (BDL), officially kicking off the gradual rollout of more than $250 million in infrastructure improvements.
Since April 2023, construction has been underway to add two corridors to the east and west sides of the main terminal, adjacent to each of the two concourses. The milestone, which was reached this June, is the opening of the corridor in BDL’s east concourse – temporarily serving as the airport’s new terminal exit. The west side corridor is still under construction and is expected to open later this summer, at which time the terminal will have two new exits, and two new meet and greet locations. The new exit corridors will provide faster and more direct access to airline baggage claims, car rentals, ground transportation, and shuttles in BDL’s arrivals level.
The center exit lane that passengers have been using for years near the main TSA security checkpoint is now permanently closed and will soon be reconfigured to expand the security checkpoint by allowing for additional screening lanes and queuing space for passengers waiting to be screened.
“The construction at Bradley International Airport has been years in the making. We are pleased to see the first of these key projects nearly completed,” said Michael W. Shea, Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. “These exit corridors, and the other ongoing construction, are part of our long-term strategy to really optimize the flow and functionality of the terminal and ensure we are meeting the demands of current and future air travel growth at Bradley.”
In addition to the new exit corridors and expanded TSA checkpoint, the second construction project is a new, 80,000 square foot inline baggage screening facility behind the Sheraton Hotel, which will house BDL’s explosive-detection machines. A mile-long conveyor belt will carry the estimated two million checked bags the airport screens annually from the airline ticket counters directly to the new screening facility. This means passengers will no longer need to carry their checked bags to the explosive-detection machines after airline check-in, which will be permanently removed from the departures level. The new facility will also create new terminal space and gates for flights, which will be gradually introduced to passengers starting in late summer, with an estimated completion by the end of 2025.
The estimated cost for both construction projects is approximately $250 million. The CAA secured a total of $113.5 million in funding for these projects from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The additional $136.5 million for the construction is coming from passenger facility charges and the CAA’s airport revenue. No taxpayer funds are being used to pay for these projects.
Passengers can stay up to date on these projects by visiting the airport’s website and social media channels. They are also advised to follow new directional signage inside the terminal.