The 13th busiest airport in the world, John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in Queens, New York, had over 62 million annual passengers in 2023. Those passengers will soon have access to an improved airport roadway network, as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) takes on a massive project to create a more user-friendly airport experience. The joint venture (JV) of Skanska and Halmar International is serving as the general contractor, and Parsons Corporation is leading the design component of the project.
"The main goal of the project, which the design team focused on, was to simplify roadway operations and make them user-friendly," said John Crecco, Senior Vice President of Operations for Skanska USA Civil. Crecco oversees all field operations and is on site full time.
Traveling via airplane can be stressful. While some fear the actual flight, many stresses can affect travelers prior to takeoff. A Priority Pass survey found that nearly two-thirds of travelers worry about getting to the airport. Missing boarding is the third highest worry point.
"We don't want travelers to be stressed," Crecco said. "We're simplifying the network and ensuring it's well signed and organized."
For many JFK Airport users, English is not their first language, making clear signage and organization an important aspect of the project.
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One of the major project elements is the construction of the Central Terminal Area Roadways, Utilities and Ground Transportation Center (RUGTC). The RUGTC includes:
- 1,950-space multi-level vehicle parking facility equipped with electric vehicle charging stations and an eco-conscious timber façade
- 400-foot-long elevated pedestrian bridge with pedestrian canopies (including a bike lane)
- Rainwater harvesting facility
- Energy-efficient provisions for solar paneling
Other project elements include:
- A new Central Terminal Area roadway configuration
- Maintenance and protection of traffic
- Intuitive wayfinding and enhanced traffic technologies
- Installation of at-grade pavement
- Installation of 13 retaining walls and six bridges
- Utility relocations and upgrades
- Rehabilitation of five bridges
- Removal of seven bridges
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The project will also improve roadway access in and out of the airport, which is currently below standards.
"Currently, there are two routes travelers can take to access any terminal at the airport," Crecco said. "We’re introducing a new approach to better support travelers earlier in their journey, before they enter the Central Terminal Area, so they can make informed decisions at key decision points."
To support this, the team is adding signage to guide travelers to the appropriate route in advance, helping to reduce congestion near the terminals. Once drivers are on one of the arteries, they will find a streamlined approach to their location.
In addition to PANYNJ’s work, the New York State Department of Transportation is undertaking a separate project to improve the Van Wyck Expressway outside the airport.
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Concurrently, PANYNJ has launched another contract to construct a new bridge that will connect the airport’s two primary access routes, which did not previously exist. Together with the RUGTC project, these three coordinated efforts will effectively bifurcate airport traffic, ultimately helping to reduce congestion and improve flow throughout the Central Terminal Area.
"The project is not technically challenging," Crecco said. "But the logistics involved in working in an active airport require constant communication."
Logistics would already require careful coordination with just the standard activity at JFK Airport. The challenge becomes even greater with multiple projects happening at the same time within the 2 to 3 square miles that make up the airport, all part of the $20 billion in ongoing construction. To get anything done requires dealing with many stakeholders.
"We have constant open communication with the Port Authority," Crecco said. "The PANYNJ has a strong owners' team committed to getting the job done, understands challenges, and looks for solutions that work for everyone.”
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According to Crecco, the team's typical challenges include securing lane closures for the required duration, ensuring timely delivery of materials to the airport, and accounting for seasonal fluctuations in travel volumes. These variations can impact work areas and limit activity during peak travel periods, requiring ongoing coordination and adaptability.
One workaround that the Skanska-Halmar JFK JV team uses is to have an onsite location to store materials. Storing materials within the airport confines means less worry when the materials must be moved to the exact work location.
If the team also had to concern themselves with getting the materials to the airport (and then to the specific location), the issue of lane closure duration would be greater.
Drone usage has helped the team with other challenges.
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"It's been useful to go into meetings with up-to-date aerial images to coordinate with stakeholders," Crecco said. "It helps us coordinate design plans, look at existing conditions, see where we need to work, and clarifies access."
Another challenge the team has dealt with is unknown utilities. This facility has undergone several previous redevelopment efforts, leading to numerous undocumented utilities and old foundations that were not identified on any historical drawings or through 811 markouts. The team realized the need for methods to scan areas before digging.
"We had heard about a company [RodRadar] that does radar imaging technology on a ground-penetrating excavator bucket," Crecco said. "It notices anomalies, so we know something is down there, which has minimized the impacts of unknown utilities."
The Skanska-Halmar JFK JV and Parsons have included multiple green elements in the project.
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For example, Crecco noted that the RUGTC rooftop is a signature feature of JFK’s New Terminal One (the new terminal is not under the JV's purview). The rainwater harvesting facility on the rooftop will collect rainwater that will be used for irrigation.
The roof is also being constructed with the infrastructure required for solar paneling installation. The energy-efficient element will be part of a future project.
Nearly 20 percent of the 350 parking spaces will have charging stations.
The project is impacting approximately 15 miles of roadways throughout the airport. The team is recycling (on site) the materials from the roads and bridges and reusing them as part of the road base. Besides minimizing material use, onsite recycling saves hundreds of trips to and from dumping grounds.
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Finally, one bridge that was originally slated for demolition has been repurposed and incorporated into the design. By moving and reusing the bridge in another location, the project not only benefits from environmental sustainability but also saves time and money.
With the airport’s significant impact on the region, selecting the right team for the expansive roadway network and RUGTC was a key step in the $1.24 billion project. According to Crecco, choosing Skanska was an easy call for the Port Authority.
"We have a long history with them that dates back 40-plus years," Crecco said. "We're a known entity to them, and we've had success with other PANYNJ projects, delivering them on time and on budget."
This project is the first joint venture between Skanska and Halmar. Yet, Crecco suspects that it will not be the last.
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"We will look for opportunities that fit into our combined wheelhouse,” he said. “They're solid roadbuilders like us and have similar values, including a strong determination to meet the owner's schedule."
The team was awarded the project in spring 2023 and has a completion date of December 2027. The project is currently on schedule.
"During the first year after we were awarded the project, while we were developing the design, we began locating utilities and conducted a test pile program to assess soil conditions," Crecco said. "The program was designed to determine what was best suited to the conditions."
Construction work began in early 2024.
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Late in 2025, the team will reach the first milestone — providing a new bridge to terminals 5, 6, and 7. All roadways are scheduled to be completed in April 2026, followed by the completion of the Ground Transportation Center in April 2027.
Crecco credits the team's plan with keeping the project on schedule.
"We have dedicated teams focused on smaller areas and make sure no one area will fall behind,” he said. “We need to bring everything together at the end."
The project is also on budget. Crecco credits this to familiarity with the requirements and an excellent working relationship with PANYNJ, which is funding the project.
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When the project is complete, the 62 million people who travel to and from JFK International Airport every year will find it easier to navigate the confines and will experience a more user-friendly airport. There are also economic benefits, such as construction jobs for 300 people.
