When Denver International Airport’s original master plan was written in 1988 for a facility that opened in 1995, self-service check-in kiosks and electric rail transport were the last things on planners’ minds.
Nor did they anticipate the departure of Continental Airlines’ hub, the arrival of Southwest Airlines or the post-9/11 slowdown and recovery in passenger traffic.
As DIA nears its maximum capacity of 50 million passengers a year and prepares for the arrival of FasTracks electric commuter-rail service at the end of 2014, planners are considering how the airport can grow.
With the help of aviation-consulting firm Ricondo & Associates, airport administrators will start a $3.3 million update of its master plan. The work could begin in about a month, pending contract approval.
“They’re trying to grow at the same time that they’re trying to dust off their existing facilities,” Ricondo & Associates director Colleen Quinn said.
The airport is old enough to need refurbishment while passenger traffic increases. And existing concourses can be expanded to accommodate more flights.
More gates, new concourses, a terminal addition, an airport hotel and a new baggage system are all potential developments contemplated for future years.
The first phase of master planning will focus on near-term issues, such as expansion of the passenger train, international passenger processing, expansion and improvements in the terminal. Also on the agenda is how the FasTracks electric commuter-rail system will fit into the airport. Electric commuter rail has heavier cars than light rail.
Changes to the terminal through 2015 are the focus of phase one “because that’s where they’re really starting to feel the pressures of the growth,” Quinn said.
Still, DIA director of planning Rick Busch said, “We’re steering a big ship here, and we’re not going to be able to make any radical changes overnight.”
The second phase will focus on long-range issues as much as 30 years out, such as planning for new runways, taxiways and refurbishment.
Changes in airport security and passenger screening, financial instability in the airline industry and technological developments such as check-in kiosks have all transformed the airport.
The start of Denver flights by Southwest Airlines last January “adds a new twist to things” for airline competition and passenger growth, Busch said.
Southwest has grown to occupy four gates on Concourse C and is identifying areas that it believes “potentially need to be part of the master plan,” including gate capacity, said Southwest properties manager Steve Hubbell.
As part of the master plan process, passengers will be surveyed on such things as how early they arrive before flight departure, what they spend money on, how they check in for flights and whether they use parking facilities or rental cars.
As many as 15 people from Ricondo & Associates will work on the master-plan update.
Companies working with Ricondo include Lea+Elliott, Two Hundred Inc., All Traffic Data Services, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Synergy Consultants, Hensel Phelps, Wong Strauch Architects, Logplan and Catalyst Consulting.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
