Possible DCA expansion
 

MWAA has drawn up plans to add a new north concourse to Terminal C, replacing the office and support facility that's there. (Those who remember the construction of the current north terminal might remember this building as the "temporary north terminal" during that time.) US/AA might even pay for it, as it would allow them to consolidate operations behind one checkpoint at the north pier.

By the end of 2014, DCA will be operating at 40% above its passenger capacity.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ptions-400309/

hopefully, they can also extend the north south runway into the potomac another half mile or so, and put a second runway beside it.

Are you talking about the Interim Terminal for which absolutely nobody feels any nostalgia? The story suggests this expansion of the North Pier wouldn't touch that structure, although it would get close to it.

MWAA approved a $1 billion financing plan today to build a new North Concourse for US/AA regional jets.

Other changes will include converting level 3 (the current ticketing mezzanine) into a single security checkpoint. It seems that ticketing will move down to level 2 ("National Hall"), then pax will go upstairs for screening and walk across on bridges, then down into the piers. Bonus: you'll be able to walk between piers without leaving security.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ent-in-405975/
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/...t-theres-hope/

The financing plan raises fees at DCA, and also directs $400M in DCA fees to pay down IAD's debts.

Great!

This will eliminate gate 35x/taking the cattle bus to commuter world and will provide the capability to transfer to/from all of the B/C piers inside security. ^^

that has been available for quite some time, unless US cancelled the bus.

The point is to do away with the bus, which I'm sure has cost some people their connections.

the current bus only runs from B toC, on the tarmac. a very short jaunt. if the "D" pier becomes a reality, the distance from a to d will be over a mile. shades of lhr, fra and zhr.

Not exactly. The bus only connects the center and north piers. There is no way to connect between them and the south pier without re-clearing TSA.

Also, as BearX220 mentioned and as discussed here, the bus connection is far from optimal. Free movement between all three piers will be a very welcome improvement.

plenty of room for time expansion. originally, the airport was closed from 10pm to 6am. now that time is limited for "quiet" planes has been eliminated. there are not many planes before 5:45, or after midnite, but that still leaves room for a 25% expansion.

the two big limiting factors that keep dca from becoming a "world class" airport is lack of wide bodies, and customs/imigration facility, so we can get tatl planes in.

Very welcome. The bus runs only between B&C and is hardly large enough or frequent enough (and there are both practical size & frequency) limits to acommodate the new AA/US operation, including the fact that an arrival on B with a departure from the commuter "gates" means taking two buses. More importantly, the B-C bus means walking down and then up metal outdoor stairs. Hard enough for the fit, but someone with even minor concerns and a carry-on is better off walking out into the main concourse and then back to the B checkpoint.

It also makes sense to create a commuter terminal as the boarding and off-loading via bus and crowded C gates is a mess.

Update, with some images of preliminary plans:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/ai...pansion-plans/

The prior plan has evolved a bit. Now, the security checkpoints will be moved to an addition on the mezzanine level (the level where the bridges/moving walkways to the Metro and garage are), suspended above the arrivals roadway. The upper level will remain an outside-security ticketing hall. National Hall will now be entirely "sterile," making inter-concourse transfers much easier. This also doesn't require the numerous vertical transfers previously contemplated.

Floor 4: Ticketing (departures roadway)
Floor 3: Security mezzanine ("tunnel" to garages & metro) [sterile side: lounges]
Floor 2: National Hall, concourses/gates/shops
Floor 1: Baggage claim (arrivals roadway)

Banning the public from National Hall is a bit of a mixed blessing. There have been attempts to market its shops to the public, but they've never been entirely successful (I've sometimes stopped in for coffee while out biking the Mount Vernon Trail, but that's rare), and the increased transferring passenger volume would more than make up for the lost business. Other hubs, like MSP, seem to manage just fine with all of their shops beyond security. This also hopefully will ease overcrowding in the piers -- cleared passengers will not be confined there but can roam the entire second floor.

[QUOTE=paytonc;24710162]Update, with some images of preliminary plans:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/ai...pansion-plans/

From this diagram of the future circulation, it looks like everybody will have to double back to get to the security checkpoint. If I'm reading that correctly, pax arriving via car will have to go downstairs one level, then walk out of the terminal most of the way to Metro before turning around to go through security and then back into the terminal.

That's not a huge imposition, but considering how much people complain about having to walk between the future Metro stop at IAD and the main terminal... there may be some protests.

If that's the price of keeping National Hall unobstructed, I guess can live with it. But it's not what I'd call elegant.

Yes, the east-west-east zigzag before reaching National Hall will add some walking distance to current departures. The total additional walk for someone arriving by car is the equivalent of walking across the street and back.

It's much clearer than the prior plan to have pax go from level 3->2 (NH)->4->2 (piers), though, which also wouldn't have added much in the way of space or amenities to the sterile side.

35X's demise draws nearer... MWAA awarded a contract to AECOM & PGAL to design/engineer the new north concourse. AECOM is the largest architecture/engineering firm in the world, and PGAL is an aviation specialist who was architect of record for DCA's main terminal and IAH's new RJ concourse.