finally!
Bush IAH ends gridlock-causing construction before holiday travel season
Travel is about to get a lot less frustrating in Houston
Anyone who has traveled via George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in the past three years knows how bad the traffic has been thanks to street closures around the new Mickey Leland International Terminal. Thankfully, construction has finished, and all four lanes of North Terminal Road will be open in time for Thanksgiving.
Construction of the terminal has involved narrowing the street down to one lane in places, leading to massive congestion for terminals C, D, and E. When the roadway opens next month, they will expand back to four lanes and eliminate the merge point at Terminal D, which should reduce the amount of congestion considerably.
Things will be even better for Christmas. IAH plans to close the temporary international arrivals curb at Terminal E and open six of the eight lanes of the new International Central Processor (ICP) Arrivals level, part of a $1.4 billion airport improvement project. This will make it far faster to pick up international flyers, something that is becoming increasingly important as Houston cements its reputation as the gateway to Latin America with new routes.
“From day one, I challenged Houston Airports to focus on making Bush Airport more user-friendly for all Houstonians and visitors. The number one complaint I heard was about the parking and traffic conditions,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. “These improvements will reduce congestion and improve the passenger experience. Houston is a world-class city. When we invest in infrastructure, we ensure that our airport remains a gateway that reflects our city’s innovation, growth and excellence.”
Further changes are scheduled in summer 2025 when the old Terminal D lobby will close and the ICP will open. This will include new drop-off lanes that should continue smoothing out the drop-off process and keep vehicles flowing smoothly.
“Houstonians and airport staff have been dealing with construction impacts at Bush for the last few years and were excited to announce that the construction is nearing completion just in time for the holiday travel season. During construction, the airport operated two terminals through one, closed an entrance lane, and had a single International Arrivals Curb. These impacts all speak to how vital this new infrastructure is. We’ll soon be adding 17 additional lanes of curb capacity and 17 lanes of TSA screening, giving Terminal E check-in operations back its own dedicated space and reopening a roadway that has been closed. These planned improvements are a game-changer for our passengers,” said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports. “By expanding road capacity and reducing bottlenecks, we’re not only cutting down on travel time but also enhancing the overall experience for everyone traveling through Bush Airport.”
