NewzPresident Donald Trump is eyeing a new Washington-area landmark for one of his makeovers. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal.In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029.
Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. The airport, the area’s primary international airport, served roughly 29 million passengers over the past year, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.“This transformation is another step in our ongoing efforts to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful again,” Trump said. “We’re doing something with Dulles that’s going to make it the top anywhere in the world.”Trump says Dulles modernization is ‘sorely needed’Trump, who used a laser pointer to explain the renovations displayed on renderings, said the “crazy distances” travelers must walk to get from place to place make Dulles “the worst airport.”Congress would need to approve some aspects of the renovation plan, Trump said.
Construction could start next spring, Duffy said. The plan does not call for expanding Dulles' runways or adding new ones.Officials said the airlines and the airport authority that operates Dulles would pay for the project with municipal bonds, but they did not spell out how much of the cost might be passed on to travelers through higher fees or ticket prices when flying out of the airport.John Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates Dulles, said his agency, United Airlines and other airlines operating there have agreed “t… In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses.
The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. “This transformation is another step in our ongoing efforts to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful again,” Trump said.
The plan does not call for expanding Dulles’ runways or adding new ones. Officials said the airlines and the airport authority that operates Dulles would pay for the project with municipal bonds, but they did not spell out how much of the cost might be passed on to travelers through higher fees or ticket prices when flying out of the airport. John Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates Dulles, said his agency, United Airlines and other airlines operating there have …
Goodbye people movers and those long walks to your car at Dulles Airport.
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