Dive Brief:
- President Donald Trump is continuing his quest to reshape Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, he announced a complete overhaul of Washington Dulles International Airport in nearby Dulles, Virginia.
- The project is bonded at $22.5 billion, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a news conference at the White House. Plans will see construction teams replace concourses, add gates and remove the people movers, replacing them with a U-shaped train system, Duffy said.
- The announcement lands after the DOT’s December call for proposals to modernize the airport. The agency submitted a request for information for aid in the design, financing and construction of new concourses and terminals, spurred by Trump’s August executive order to beautify federal architecture.
Dive Insight:
No contractor was named in the announcement, and the USDOT did not respond to Construction Dive’s inquiries by time of publication.
The USDOT, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and United Airlines will collectively oversee the project, according to the announcement. The $22.5 billion figure is an increase from the previous sum of $7 billion for the Dulles modernization program.
MWAA, working with airlines that operate at Dulles, will finance the new concourses and terminal facilities through municipal bonds. Other portions of the development will also open doors for public-private partnership investment opportunities.
“This new construction effort builds upon the multiyear Dulles Master Plan, developed in consultation with our airline partners, to modernize Washington’s main international airport,” said Jack Potter, MWAA president and CEO, in the announcement. “We are grateful for the Trump administration’s interest in accelerating the pace and scope of our plans, and we look forward to building new facilities that will be a source of pride for our nation.”
