Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport installs new jet bridges

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is installing the first of several new jet bridges.

Currently, there are four bridges connecting airport terminals to the plane.

The airport is also receiving an additional bridge, bringing its total number to five.

"The bridges have outlived their useful life. This will be much more convenient for the passengers, so they'll be out of the weather when they board. It also has preconditioned air, so what that means is, the airplane doesn't have to sit there with the engine running," said Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport Executive Director Tim Bradshaw.

Bradshaw said the remaining new jet bridges will be installed during the next several weeks.

The new jet bridges are funded through a $4.2 million federal grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.