Balfour Beatty Breaks Ground on Sacramento International Airport’s New Pedestrian Walkway

August 7, 2024

SACRAMENTO, C.A. - Balfour Beatty begins construction activities to deliver Sacramento International Airport's (SMF) Pedestrian Walkway project as part of Sacramento Department of Airports' SMForward program. Once complete, the new walkway will support the airport's traveler growth well into the future by connecting SMF's Terminal B to Concourse B via a skybridge, providing the ability for passengers to walk or ride the Airport's existing Automated People Mover (APM).

"This is the first project of our $1.3 billion SMForward program and the culmination of years of planning and creativity," said Cindy Nichol, Director Sacramento County Department of Airports. "By transforming how people experience travel, we're enhancing our community's connection to the region and the world, boosting our economy and improving our quality of life."

Balfour Beatty will execute a Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) delivery method to construct the SMF Pedestrian Walkway, a first for a major project in Sacramento County. The project team will deliver an approximately quarter-mile walkway featuring 1,800 tons of steel, four moving walkways, four escalators and three elevators along a panoramic corridor.

"With passenger numbers on track to break records again this year, this project is essential to meeting the demands of today and tomorrow," said Patrick Kennedy, Sacramento County Supervisor and Chair. "By expanding our Airport's capacity and enhancing the passenger journey, Sacramento County's Department of Airports is ensuring our region remains a top choice for travelers and businesses alike."

As the first undertaking of the airport's expansion program, the Pedestrian Walkway project is the initial step in leveraging transformative partnerships and creative financing solutions to deliver the future of SMF. Throughout the program's projected duration, 800 jobs will be created in the first four years alone contributing to economic growth opportunities for location business and further development in the Sacramento area.

"Balfour Beatty is truly honored to be the selected building partner on the Pedestrian Walkway," said Kyle Frandsen, Balfour Beatty vice president in Sacramento. "The Sacramento International Airport is our local airport, so we take great pride in bringing this project in for a nice smooth landing and turning it over to the community."

Balfour Beatty has more than 75 years of extensive aviation experience in delivering complex and recognizable airport projects across the nation. The company specializes in building landside and airside facilities and has worked with clients including Los Angeles World Airports, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Jacksonville International Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Learn more about the company's aviation work here.

The project team is leveraging lean construction methods, innovation and technology including live estimating, Building Information Modeling, OpenSpace and off-site prefabrication to deliver SMF's Pedestrian Walkway. Balfour Beatty executed preconstruction services prior to officially starting construction on the SMF pedestrian walkway and the project is scheduled completion in 2025.