FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The $1.7 billion upgrade at Pittsburgh International Airport will be unveiled to passengers this Tuesday, Nov. 18. It includes a brand new terminal and a state-of-the-art parking garage equipped with a smart parking guidance system.

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“This is where I really want to highlight some of the technology that we have in this garage. First off, you see different lighted features here across the ceiling. This is our parking guidance system. You’re going to see green lights for any spaces that are open and available,” said Joe Rotterdam. He’s the airport’s director of commercial development.

Rotterdam added, “From a total space count, we’re looking at more than double the number of covered parking spaces that we have in this garage vs. our current short-term garage.”

In addition to the Terminal Garage, which adds 3,300 spots, a Terminal surface lot has also been added with 2,800 spots. The old parking lots have been converted to a shuttle lot only.

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Rotterdam explained, “One of the big changes with the shuttle lot when it changes from long term into that shuttle product, there will no longer be the ability to walk to the terminal. Any passengers that are in the shuttle lot will have to use the shuttle buses to access the new terminal facility.”

We caught up with some passengers today who say they’re excited to see the changes.

Mike Garrison from Sacramento, California, said, “My wife and I got off the plane. I go, ‘Hey, last year when we were here, they were doing all the construction.’ So I noticed all the new stuff up in the terminal and it’s really nice.”

Airport officials say that with added TSA capability, they expect security wait times to be shorter. Passengers can also expect to get their luggage 2 times as fast.

Parking rates range from $8 to $35, depending on which garage or lot you choose. If you book ahead of time online, officials say that’s the most cost-effective way. Starting Friday, you can start to book your spot online for the new garage and surface lot.

The transition begins Monday night and airport officials say that they’ve done everything to prepare and inform people about the changes, including signage and having customer service representatives on hand.

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