Runways galore at future Denver Intl Airport
Just when you thought Denver International Airport (DIA) couldn’t get any bigger, plans are being worked on to double the capacity and size. DIA opened in 1995 with 5 runways, later a 6th one was added. Now discussion includes a new 7th runway.
Every airport has a Master Plan, and Denver’s is about to be updated. Here’s a note about theirs from their site: “The goal of a master plan is to provide the framework needed to guide future airport development that will allow the airport to keep pace with aviation growth and demand cost effectively, while also considering potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Master Plans also provide the airport with the tools to react to uncertainties by examining key trends in the aviation industry, such as changing airline business models, improvements in technology, and local/regional economics that could affect airport activity.”
It’s a three-year process for an airport this large, and one of the items sure to get a lot of attention is the addition of runways.
Here’s a link to a PDF that shows something most of you probably haven’t seen: the eventual possible buildout of DIA, including a staggering 12 runways! Again, that’s double what is there now.
But it’s about more than just runways. There’s new concourses to consider, the train system adapting to the increase in stops and traffic, and from the ATC perspective all the new procedures that would accompany new runways and increased traffic. DIA’s approach control has been in the news recently about being at near capacity as it is, and a dwindling number of controllers to handle it. This issue will have to be resolved before adding any more serious numbers of flights.
The public is invited to a public workshop between April 20th and April 23rd to find out about what’s on the horizon, ask questions, and make comments. Information about the times and locations can be found at: http://www.flydenver.com/masterplan
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Denver airport plans for growth past 50 million fliers - USA Today Denver airport's underground train at capacity, needs seventh runway - Vail Daily |
Comments
denver is fast becoming a strategic location for federal,high-tech,financial, tourist,commercial etc. we need to expand denver air-port to be able to handle future incoming air-traffic. rita p
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