WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom along with a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial. In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel and more moving walkways. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, said Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who joined the president for the announcement.
Trump, who used a laser pointer to explain the renovations portrayed on renderings laid out on his desk, said the “crazy distances” that travelers must walk to get from place to place make it “the worst airport.” He was sharply critical of Dulles in his comments, except for the facility’s distinctive main terminal, and cast the proposed renovation as part of his plan to make the nation’s capital more attractive and improve the airport’s reputation.
