Head's up - ground traffic changes at BWI

Head's up, the premier cheap seat launchpad serving the nation's capital is undergoing some changes that will affect the way you access the airport.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is undergoing all sorts of changes these days to accommodate increased traffic by, among others, discount airlines Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways.

One of the first things you'll notice when driving to the airport is the new traffic pattern on the upper level of the airport's terminal roadway. That pattern just shifted to accommodate roadway expansion work.

Traffic along the upper level is now split into two streams, somewhat like the way it is in BWI's Concourse A/B facility. There's now a dedicated commercial lane for use by authorized BWI busses only. Public lanes will take care of all other traffic.

The outer curb of the new median is being opened to permit more convenient passenger drop-off. The inner curb is a work zone. Look for temporary pedestrian crosswalks from that median to the terminal.

When the dust clears, the expansion will double the amount of curbside space at which travelers can be dropped off or picked up. In addition to separate lanes for public and commercial vehicles on the upper level, an express exit lane is being added to the lower roadway level. Expect roadway work to wrap up by this fall, perhaps in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas crush.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler