Cleveland Hopkins Airport Completes Lower Roadway Construction and Reopens All Arrival Doors

CLEVELAND, OHIO — Operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport returned to a sense of normalcy this week as officials announced the completion of extensive construction on the lower roadway. Travelers who have been navigating detours and restricted access at the arrivals level can now use all terminal doors for guest pickups again. The project focused heavily on the pedestrian tunnel located on the RTA level, which serves as a critical artery for passengers using public transit to reach the airport from the downtown area. According to airport officials, the scope of the work included structural reinforcement and essential waterproofing to ensure the long-term integrity of the underground corridor. Crews also refreshed a concrete wall and relocated various electrical systems that had become outdated over years of heavy use. CLE saw more than 9.8 million passengers pass through its gates in 2023, making any construction in the arrivals and baggage claim areas a significant logistical hurdle for the city of Cleveland Department of Port Control. The tunnel connects the main terminal directly to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Red Line station, a service that has been a fixture of the airport's layout since the late 1960s. This renovation ensures the path remains safe for the thousands of commuters and travelers who use the rail link daily. The physical labor was completed by SMCI, a contractor specializing in heavy infrastructure, while the engineering and consulting firm RS&H provided oversight for the duration of the work. While this phase of the lower roadway rehabilitation is finished, airport management indicated it is already shifting focus toward subsequent infrastructure improvements. Information regarding future terminal modernization projects and potential traffic shifts is regularly updated on the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport official website. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.