JE Dunn partnered with Charleston International Airport (CHS) to quickly design and deliver a solution to accommodate rapid growth created by several airlines’ expansions at the airport. Working with the airport’s design partner and AERO Bridgeworks, a three-gate expansion was planned, designed, and constructed within nine months.
Speed of project delivery was vital. The first contact to explore solutions to meet CHS’s sudden passenger growth occurred just before the 2021 Christmas holiday. JE Dunn’s preconstruction team and advanced technology allowed the design team and the owner to quickly progress through budgeting and plan reviews on potential new gate configurations and constructability using existing terminal facilities.
The owner selected glass panel jetways, the first airport in South Carolina to feature the new, modern systems. The jetways provide a bright, warm welcome to the thousands of visitors who will form positive first impressions upon arrival. Throughout construction, all team members provided an exceptional customer experience while working in a tight, very active airport terminal while building the new gates.
The optimal solution realigned the existing gate aircraft parking layout to accommodate two new jet bridges set to two fixed links and a switchback boarding ramp. Installing the 400,000 lb. concrete foundations required precise planning, coordination, and FOD control as access required escorted material deliveries across active airport ramp areas. Additionally, JE Dunn overcame COVID related supply chain challenges with expedited procurement to move from Notice to Proceed to completion in less than six months.
Ribbon cutting for the new gates occurred on September 2022, a short nine months after first discussing the project.
