Express Shuttle Connector Road

Budget: $84.5 million

Projected Timeline: Phase 1: August 2025 – December 2026| Phase 2: End of 2027

Status: In Construction 

Project Description:

The Express Shuttle Connector Road Project will build a dedicated shuttle roadway connecting the Economy Garage, Employee Garage, and Rental Car Center on the Airport’s south campus to the terminal on the north campus.

The project will be completed in two phases. Phase one, which will be completed by the end of 2026, will construct the north end of the roadway, allowing shuttles to bypass the traffic lights on Veterans Boulevard. Phase two will be complete by 2027, including the southern portion of the roadway near the former terminal and Airline Highway.

Each day, an average of up to 9,000 people use the shuttle buses to get back and forth between Airport facilities. Currently, buses use public roads such as Veterans Boulevard and Bainbridge Road and pass through four traffic lights in each direction, creating delays and unpredictable travel times during peak periods. Shuttle times can range from 14 to 18 minutes, and once the project is complete in 2027, the shuttle times are estimated to be reduced by half to a range of 7 to 10 minutes.

With $65 million of the total project funded by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the new Connector Road Project will decrease traffic congestion on public roads and minimize wait times for passengers using shuttle services.

In the future, the new Connector Road will also provide a convenient connection to the future Baton Rouge to New Orleans rail service, which will include a stop at the Louis Armstrong Airport on the south of Airline Highway. This roadway can serve as the foundation for a possible light rail system or autonomous vehicle roadway further enhancing the connection between the north and south campus facilities.