Amid continued construction of the San Diego airport’s new Terminal 1, work started Monday on some key roadway projects designed to improve travelers’ access to and from the airport.

The focus of the multi-phase, $14.4 million undertaking will be on Pacific Highway, and Grape and Palm streets, which will get a wide variety of improvements, among them modernized traffic signals, railroad crossing enhancements, additional lanes and separated bicycle lanes.

Upgraded roadways were always contemplated as part of the ongoing $3.8 billion Terminal 1 project. Receiving the most attention was the already completed three-lane, on-airport roadway that bypasses North Harbor Drive and delivers motorists to Terminals 1 and 2, with the net effect of removing 45,000 cars a day from Harbor Drive.

This latest work, though, involves major roads on the periphery of the airport that provide important access for motorists.

“We’re investing in infrastructure that will deliver lasting benefits for our communities while strengthening the transportation network that keeps our region connected,” said Atif Saeed, president of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “These upgrades will improve mobility, accessibility and efficiency for travelers, support our neighboring communities and help ensure the airport continues to serve the region for generations to come.”

The work, which will continue through the fall of next year, includes the following:

Grape Street: 

Roadway pavement rehabilitation
New vehicle and bike loop detection sensors
Signal controller upgrades
One additional travel lane on the south side and a separated bike lane on the north side. (To make room for the improvements, some parking spaces will be permanently removed.)

Pacific Highway: 

Roadway pavement rehab
Reconstructed medians
Traffic signal modifications
Pedestrian and ADA accessibility upgrades
New streetlights
Separated bike lanes on both sides of the road

Palm Street:

Roadway pavement rehabilitation
New traffic signal at Palm and Kettner Boulevard
New signals on both sides of the railroad crossing
An additional travel lane in each direction
Pedestrian crossing improvements on the north side of the rail crossing
Streetlight upgrades

To minimize effects on travelers and nearby residents, construction will occur Sundays through Thursdays from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Grape Street and Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Pacific Highway. Construction on Palm Street won’t begin until January 2027, with construction days and hours to be announced closer to the start date.

Still, temporary lane closures and traffic shifts are to be expected, the airport authority said. However, access to the airport, surrounding neighborhoods, businesses, and emergency services will be maintained throughout the construction period.

In the meantime, work continues on the expansion of the new Terminal 1, which opened nearly a year ago. When completed in 2028, it will have a total of 30 gates and will be far larger than the 1960s-era facility it replaced. That older terminal was demolished last year.