A bustling and brightly lit airport baggage claim area with people crossing the walkway, surrounded by multiple baggage conveyors on both sides.

Harry Reid International Airport Terminal 1 Baggage

Disruption-free upgrade

Project Facts

Location Las Vegas, Nevada
Owner Clark County Department of Aviation
Cost $65 million
Status Completed 2015

Overview

When Las Vegas’ primary commercial airport, Harry Reid International Airport, needed to upgrade their baggage handling system, they trusted the job to our experienced team. We undertook the task of upgrading the baggage handling system of Terminal 1 while maintaining continuous service for its extensive passenger flow. With an annual throughput exceeding 42 million passengers and a global ranking of 8th for takeoffs and landings, Terminal 1 serves as a vital transportation hub. Our innovative structural engineering solutions facilitated the smooth replacement of outdated equipment, enhancing efficiency without disrupting daily operations.

About the project

Formerly McCarran International, Harry Reid International Airport is the main commercial airport serving Las Vegas, Nevada. The airport is expected to serve its maximum capacity of over 53 million passengers within 10 years.

By 2012, Harry Reid’s original terminal, Terminal 1, was in need of baggage recapitalization according to the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) guidelines. TSA places strict limits for baggage handling equipment, restricting the length and number of downtime occurrences, as well as the age of equipment. Any system that doesn’t meet TSA checks is scheduled for replacement. The equipment at Terminal 1 had been in operation for over 10 years, making replacement inevitable.

We provided structural engineering for the replacement effort. Terminal 1, the oldest of the terminals in operation at Harry Reid, was constructed in the 1970s. It has a base concourse enhanced by numerous expansions and additions. To complicate matters, it is by far the busiest terminal and could not be taken out of operation. Since no two baggage systems are alike, installation of the new systems required multiple modifications to the existing building structures and support systems. The design phase took almost a year to complete. Construction for the recapitalization is planned to take place in the operational airport with no impact to passenger service.

Awards

2018 ENR Southwest Best Project Airport/Transit