Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Terminal 4 BHS/CBIS

GRAEF was on a design-build team and provided structural, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, and civil engineering services for a new Baggage Handling System/Checked Baggage Inspection System (BHS/CBIS) on top of the existing system. The new system met TSA’s latest Planning Design Guidelines Standards (PDGS), which require air-conditioning and minimize manual lifting for inspection personnel. Preliminary planning and design work involved months of coordination and review by airport stakeholders to define the final configuration. The system that resulted leverages in-line explosives detection machines and integrates with existing induction lines and make-up units.

The new system also works with the terminal’s existing ticket counter and curbside inputs and includes four CTX 9800 explosives detection machines. Each is designed to screen up to 640 bags per hour. Baggage is fed from existing input lines into the new system for screening, and pieces that clear levels 1 and 2 are routed to existing make-up units. Baggage requiring level 3 screening is routed to the new checked baggage resolution area, which includes 21 workstations.

To maintain operations in Terminal 4, the project team phased the demolition of existing equipment and installation of new.

Additionally, before construction of the new BHS/CBIS began, the project team used a 3-D scan of the existing facility to help identify potential utility conflicts.

This project was completed on time and within budget.