That root extends down some distance and branches off into two large roots, which are the bronchial tubes. These two large roots veer off in different directions and become a network of small roots, or bronchioles, that cover a large area. The bronchial tubes are located at about the center of a person’s chest. They connect to an upper portion of the lungs, known as the hilum. The bronchial tube that branches to the right is shorter than the one that goes to the left. This is due to the positioning of the heart, which is on the left side of the chest.