Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Monday became the first visitor to officially travel across the front bridge to what will be the entrance to the new Pittsburgh International Airport terminal.

Fitzgerald’s inaugural drive both celebrated a distinguished career of public service and marked a significant milestone for one of the Pittsburgh region’s most ambitious construction projects.

“Rich has been a tireless advocate and supporter,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO of the Allegheny County Airport Authority. “He has been really focused on what is best for this community.”

ACAA and county leaders, along with staff and members of the press, joined Fitzgerald and Cassotis on a tour of the terminal construction site.

The recently completed bridge connects the roadways that will one day guide passengers to and from the new PIT terminal and complementary buildings. It marks yet another key achievement on the road toward the opening of the new terminal in 2025.

The Terminal Modernization Program will provide visitors with a more efficient travel experience via a larger security checkpoint and faster baggage claim while cutting long-term maintenance costs for the airlines, which are paying for the vast majority of the project. No state or local tax dollars are being used.

In addition to the new landside terminal, the construction includes a multi-modal parking garage and airport roadway system, including the new bridge.

Fitzgerald last visited the construction site in August; since then, all structural steel has been completed. Workers are now installing curtainwall glass, roofing, walls and utility lines.

“We now have the most dynamic airport in the country in many ways, and when [the new terminal] opens a year and one-half from now, it is something that is going to be unbelievably great for the region,” Fitzgerald said.

After the drive up the terminal bridge, the tour began in earnest on what will be the departures level of the new airport terminal. The broad expanses of exposed concrete and girders seen by visitors are the bones of what will ultimately be a warm, inviting environment filled with ticket counters, concessions, tree-like columns and constellation lighting.

As the tour progressed further into the construction site, visitors observed open spaces for large window arrays before moving to the connector bridge between the new terminal and the existing Airside Terminal.