SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego International Airport on Friday opened a new road with no intersections or traffic lights to Terminals 1 and 2 intended to cut down on traffic.
"We are thrilled to open this new entrance roadway to the airport," said Kimberly Becker, CEO and president of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. "The on-airport roadway is a component of our new Terminal 1 redevelopment project, with the first phase opening this September.
"This is a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing the passenger experience and making travel to SAN more efficient."
The three-lane road is located on North Harbor Drive west of the intersection with West Laurel Street. Vehicles on West Laurel Street headed toward the airport should bear to the right and will merge directly with the on- airport roadway, an airport statement read.
Vehicles bearing right to access the on-airport roadway will no longer have the option to merge onto North Harbor Drive. To access westbound North Harbor Drive, stay to the left on West Laurel Street and then turn right at the intersection with North Harbor Drive.
Signs have been placed along both North Harbor Drive and West Laurel Street to help drivers navigate to the new entrance:
-- From North Harbor Drive (westbound): A large overhead sign will direct drivers to bear right to enter the new airport entrance, west of Laurel Street, with an additional small sign placed before the merge to direct drivers into the right lane.
-- From West Laurel Street: An overhead sign will guide drivers to continue straight to access the airport via the new roadway, or to bear left heading to North Harbor Drive.
From the entrance of the new road, it continues for around one mile to Terminal 1 and parking facilities.
The new roadway will divert an estimated 45,000 vehicles every day from North Harbor Drive, "improving traffic flow for both airport and local commuters," according to the airport authority.
The roadway is the latest in the Terminal 1 project. In June, the airport opened the second stage of the Terminal 1 Parking Plaza, adding around 2,400 more airport parking spaces.
The plaza now has a total of 5,200 parking spaces adjacent to the existing Terminal 1 and the New T1, is scheduled to open in September 2025.
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