b'30 MIA GROUND SUPPORTMiami Intl Makes a Scene With Glass Boarding BridgesBY CHRIS JONES From its art deco buildingshere for our beaches and the tropical-type and extravagant cars to racyenvironment. Why not showcase that? nightclubs and barely-thereIn short, airport leadership wants beachwear, the South Florida ethos candeplaning passengers to say, Wow, Im well be described in six simple words: Ifin Miami!youve got it, flaunt it.The airport placed its first glass In that spirit, the regions busiestboarding bridge into service during winter commercial airport is installing glass2022, and that successful introduction FACTS&FIGURESboarding bridges that allow travelers toled to another installation this April. Both immediately soak in the local sights whenare part of a $1.7 billion maintenance and Project: Upgrading Passenger Boarding Bridges arriving at one of the countrys most eye- upgrade program called the Modernization Location: Miami Intl Airportcaptivating destinations. in Action PlanM.I.A. Plan for shortOverall Scope: Replacing 92 passenger boarding bridgesMiami International Airport (MIA) recentlyscheduled to span several years. by 2028; 32 are already completedadded two glass passenger boarding Total Cost: $234.4 million bridges, with plans for 60 more over theThe translucent boarding bridges are resistant to ultraviolet light for greater Current Highlight: 2 glass boarding bridges, totalingnext five years. Once these projects areenergy efficiency, and are equipped $30 million complete, MIA will have more see-throughwith 400 hertz power and potable water Cost: $1.25 million for Gate D14; $1.78 million for Gate H17 jet bridges than any other U.S. airport.connections, plus preconditioned air for Manufacturer: TK Elevator We are in anuse with docked aircraft. They also include Installations: Winter 2022 & mid-April 2024 amazing location,baggage chutes and space for advertising, Installation Subcontractor: AERO BridgeWorks Inc. says Isaac Smith,should MIA seek to generate revenue Key Features: UV-resistant, tinted dual-pane glass;MIAs assistantthrough that channel using its glass 400 hertz power & potable water connections; insulation &aviation director forwindows. The airport has long displayed preconditioned air; baggage chutes; designed to withstandFacilities Maintenanceads for HSBC, a major global banking wind gusts up to 180 mph and Engineering.corporation, on its traditional steel-sided Whats Next: 60 more glass boarding bridges, roughlyWe get a whole lotISAAC SMITH bridges.10/year of folks who come September 2024AirportImprovement.com'