Salt Lake International Airport Development Thread

[orlandopilot]

As a Florida resident I am pleased to see that Delta will be adding nonstop flights between MIA-SLC and TPA-SLC for the holiday season. I think they should make those flights permanent because if we fly Delta to the west we don't want to connect through ATL. We avoid that place at all costs.

Aviation forums have indicated that British Airways may be looking at starting nonstop between Heathrow and Charlotte, Portland, Columbus and Salt Lake City. That would be huge for Salt Lake because I believe your market would support it. Your growing international business presence with Goldman and RBS could justify that flight. Seems that your Paris nonstop has done very well.

Hopefully your airport hurries up and gets built soon. The plans look great except it seems that the new terminal might be a tad narrow with a choke point for passengers leaving and entering the south concourse. It looks pretty narrow. Anyway as an Orlando resident with a great airport (MCO) we know how an awesome airport can benefit a city. I have a connection through SLC in October and hope to see some construction in progress.

[SLC Projects]

There looks to be a "ground breaking tent" getting set up next to the south field where the future rent a car lots are going. The small road has been blocked off, there are backhoes, cones and pot a potties set up with one large white tent at the end of the dead end road. You can see it while entering the airport on the main road. Looks like the show is about to begin.

[i-215]

Originally Posted by jtrent77

Looking at that picture I hope they have plans for how Trax will work once the terminus is no longer at the airport, but rather continues on down the MVC, at least I think that is the long term plan.

I'm asking the same question. I would've made it run either on level 3 or level 1, allowing passengers to cross at level 2.

[downtownslcresident]

http://fox13now.com/2014/07/17/slc-to-break-ground-on-new-airport/


News article on groundbreaking. It is scheduled for tomorrow.

[downtownslcresident]

and the tribs article:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/58194814-78/airport-terminal-lake-salt.html.csp

[Comrade]

The renderings are pretty boring. The airport won't set the world on fire in terms of architecture, which isn't too big of a surprise in the post-2001 world - but still, pretty underwhelming.

[jubguy3]

Originally Posted by i-215

I'm asking the same question. I would've made it run either on level 3 or level 1, allowing passengers to cross at level 2.

Based on the WFRC plans, TRAX will be shaped so that it backs out of the airport and goes on towards the international.

[Wizened Variations]

Originally Posted by Comrade

The renderings are pretty boring. The airport won't set the world on fire in terms of architecture, which isn't too big of a surprise in the post-2001 world - but still, pretty underwhelming.

I think the new design is superbly functional. Looks almost like a German architect might have designed it. Reminds me a bit of Frankfurt's airport.

For those of you who want more "dash," push for nice art to break up the linearity of the interior. A well spent million or two for art might push the price up .1% but that is small change.

I like it a lot.

[wrendog]

There have to be better renderings out there. The ones we've seen so far tell us pretty much nothing, honestly.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by wrendog

There have to be better renderings out there. The ones we've seen so far tell us pretty much nothing, honestly.

It seems there's not much to get. But I like how the windows are open to the winter sun, which will bring down heating costs in the winter.

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Originally Posted by Old&New

It seems there's not much to get. But I like how the windows are open to the winter sun, which will bring down heating costs in the winter.

If anything it's just an upgrade to Openness, energy use and future expansion. We have a landscape worth showing off and I think this design will give people the chance to see what the Valley has, lets show it off. Heck some people get amazed at the Oquirrh mountains and then I tell them to turn around and their jaws drop.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by wrendog

There have to be better renderings out there. The ones we've seen so far tell us pretty much nothing, honestly.

That's because technically, they aren't done yet. This is like a design build freeway; it's happening as the thing goes. If you look at the timeline, construction on the parking structure and main terminal doesn't even start until 2016.

According to the timeline we won't have the final terminal and concourse design until the second quarter of 2015!

[N830MH]

I guess we have wait for a while. When it will complete? What about TSA inline baggage screening system? Will they relocate it? What about international gates capable? How many gates will used for international flights?

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by N830MH

I guess we have wait for a while. When it will complete? What about TSA inline baggage screening system? Will they relocate it? What about international gates capable? How many gates will used for international flights?

The new parking garage and terminal with partially completed concourse opens in 2019. The old airport is demolished by 2020. By 2023 this phase of the new airport is complete and they decide if they will move to build an island concourse that will be accessible via underground people mover train like Denver's, or save that for a later time.

The gates will be more efficient and capable of accommodating more larger international flights while also being able to handle small regional jets like Skywest. This new airport will be able to do a lot more with about the same number of gates as the existing airport and will be able to expand with two additional island concourses.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by s.p.hansen

That's because technically, they aren't done yet. This is like a design build freeway; it's happening as the thing goes. If you look at the timeline, construction on
the parking structure and main terminal doesn't even start until 2016.

According to the timeline we won't have the final terminal and concourse design until the second quarter of 2015!

Excellent point S.P. Also, the renderings that all the news outlets chose to show are pretty limited in number and too small to get a decent feel for the new designs. These recent renderings
posted by Skyguy are more numerous and with the additional size give a much better idea, especially of the interiors. If the ultimate terminal designs are anything like these I'll be very
happy. I'm impressed by both the look of it and especially the generous amount of natural woods and lighting. I think what we're getting with SLC will be far more attractive than the
large vapid minimalist space of so many terminals. This, and not to mention the lack of Salt Lakes dramatic setting to look at. The large window placements like this below looking out onto a
very close downtown and Wasatch backdrop will be fantastic.

Originally Posted by skyguy414

Delta president Ed Bastian spoke to the SLC airport board a few weeks ago. Some highlights of his presentation to the board were:

- SLC is the fastest growing local market among all Delta hub cities.

- SLC is and will continue to be the primary gateway to the Mountain West.

- Delta plans to increase seat capacity 8% over the next five years in SLC.

- Number of flights will increase 1-2%

- To increase capacity, larger aircraft will be used and smaller regional aircraft flights will be reduced.

- New destinations will be added (TBA)

- Delta is fully comitted to the development of the new terminal.

Originally Posted by skyguy414

Originally Posted by farmerboy

Love these renderings and the idea of giving the new airport a sense of place.

Love the textures and the focus on views of the mountains!

...............

[justiny]

The renderings remind me a little of Reagan National in the large windows, along with the TRAX station and parking garage almost the same setup as with the Metro Rail station there. I've always liked the design... Been a long time coming.

[SLC Projects]

So, looking at the future airport map and hearing about how the new concourse will be SIX Salt Lake City size blocks long it makes me wonder will we have some of the longest length-wise concourses out there.
For example, Denver's Concourse B ( I read ) is about .8 miles long. But that's including the arm that breaks off. A mile to Salt Lake City is 7 downtown blocks, so with ours being 6 blocks long puts it around .85 miles if my math is right. That puts it just over Denver's Concourse B by 264 FT again if my math is right.

Denver's Concourse B .8 mile 4224FT
Salt Lake's Future Concourse A .85 mile 4488FT

[jubguy3]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

So, looking at the future airport map and hearing about how the new concourse will be SIX Salt Lake City size blocks long it makes me wonder will we have some of the longest length-wise concourses out there.
For example, Denver's Concourse B ( I read ) is about .8 miles long. But that's including the arm that breaks off. A mile to Salt Lake City is 7 downtown blocks, so with ours being 6 blocks long puts it around .85 miles if my math is right. That puts it just over Denver's Concourse B by 264 FT again if my math is right.

Denver's Concourse B .8 mile 4224FT
Salt Lake's Future Concourse A .85 mile 4488FT

Hopefully there will be some sort of a moving walkway or airport circulator to get people around?

[ryerop]

Originally Posted by jubguy3

Hopefully there will be some sort of a moving walkway or airport circulator to get people around?

I know at least in one of the renderings that was posted it looked like there was a moving walkway, not saying that actually means anything at this point. But yeah there definitely should be something like that

[justiny]

DIA's moving walkways do help a little, but on a connecting flight trying to get from one end to the other is hell on earth. I've had that experience too many times. Hopefully Delta can minimize the distance of connections during certain arrival time frames... I don't know if that's even possible.