The "modernization" will (I assume) still employ the same basic escalator tecnology (no magnetic levitation, etc) so I think it's just replacing the worn-out parts and installing a new escalator.

That or they had an extra $5M in the budget they needed to blow ..

And as was noted, the worst is the airport train escalator, which requires you to walk through the parking garage and then back down a temporary stairs. In actuality, it seems like everyone just tries to crowd onto the elevators.

The worst airport project that I have seen recently is the peoplemover belt escalator thing that is closed at SFO - now it is necessary to trudge on foot from the UAL gates back to the main bldg ...