New Atlanta airport master plan eyes new gates, sixth runway (Dawson: price, law)

[skbl17]

More gates, more runways, Plane Train extensions, more taxiways...

And thus, one of the world's biggest airports keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. I can't help but echo bryant's point that space will eventually become an issue, if it hasn't already. In fact, since nobody else has brought this question up yet, I thought I would: what impacts do you think the continuing expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson will have on efforts to get a second airport built in metro Atlanta? I don't think any movement will happen on that front for quite some time (well yea, there's Paulding County, but I can't see anything happening on that front, and we all know what happened in Gwinnett County).

- skbl17

[afdinatl]

Originally Posted by skbl17

More gates, more runways, Plane Train extensions, more taxiways...

And thus, one of the world's biggest airports keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. I can't help but echo bryant's point that space will eventually become an issue, if it hasn't already. In fact, since nobody else has brought this question up yet, I thought I would: what impacts do you think the continuing expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson will have on efforts to get a second airport built in metro Atlanta? I don't think any movement will happen on that front for quite some time (well yea, there's Paulding County, but I can't see anything happening on that front, and we all know what happened in Gwinnett County).

- skbl17

We don't need another airport. Just keep expanding the one we have unless they can by some land next to a Marta station

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by skbl17

More gates, more runways, Plane Train extensions, more taxiways...

And thus, one of the world's biggest airports keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. I can't help but echo bryant's point that space will eventually become an issue, if it hasn't already. In fact, since nobody else has brought this question up yet, I thought I would: what impacts do you think the continuing expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson will have on efforts to get a second airport built in metro Atlanta? I don't think any movement will happen on that front for quite some time (well yea, there's Paulding County, but I can't see anything happening on that front, and we all know what happened in Gwinnett County).

- skbl17

Personally, I think the idea of a second Atlanta area airport should be shelved permanently. If any alternative HAD to be done, there is always CSG, AHN, MCN or GVL. Heck, even CHA could be expanded as an alternative. All these provided there is a shuttle service or some type of high speed rail.

[tikigod311]

I think a second airport will take away from our current airport "advantage". Once you have a second airport, connections get complicated. As it is now, fly into ATL and you can get just about anywhere you want to go, direct.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by skbl17

what impacts do you think the continuing expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson will have on efforts to get a second airport built in metro Atlanta?

Excuse me for laughing. Do you know how many cities much larger than Atlanta are trying to make do with tiny airports? LAX, San Diego, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Newark Airport, La Guardia, and Boston are just a few.

[skbl17]

Originally Posted by PacoMartin

Excuse me for laughing. Do you know how many cities much larger than Atlanta are trying to make do with tiny airports? LAX, San Diego, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Newark Airport, La Guardia, and Boston are just a few.

While you make good points, it should be stressed that I am NOT asserting that we need a second airport, I just assumed that, as with almost all Hartsfield-Jackson discussion, the topic would be brought up eventually, so why not now?

As we've started to see in this very thread, other users have brought up the idea that we may not even have to look to metro Atlanta for such a thing when the time comes. Others believe the idea should be shelved indefinitely or simply put off. I'm sure other users are in favor of building a new airport, with sites for discussion including the land Atlanta owns in Dawson County, and Dobbins AFB. There might be maps of future/hypothetical rail connections, whether it's HSR(?) to Chattanooga(!) or a new commuter rail system or expanded MARTA system. Other discussion will get back to which airline would serve as the "flagship" at this hypothetical airport #2 and how powerful Delta's lobbying efforts would be. How would local politics affect such a development? NIMBYism? Economic development (or lack thereof) associated with a new airport?

Even if we don't build a new airport in the short or medium term (or even long term), it still makes for good discussion.

(Personally, after seeing the Briscoe effort fail and the Paulding effort on the brink of collapse, I think that the idea that we need a second airport needs to be put off for the next three or four decades at least. Hartsfield-Jackson will support the increased capacity until well into the middle of the century, barring some unforeseen boom in layovers or an explosion in O&D numbers, which I can't see.)

- skbl17

[LynnHarris]

I'm curious to know "where" they are considering building the sixth runway. The "master plan map" was too blurry for me to read.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Personally, I think the idea of a second Atlanta area airport should be shelved permanently. If any alternative HAD to be done, there is always CSG, AHN, MCN or GVL. Heck, even CHA could be expanded as an alternative. All these provided there is a shuttle service or some type of high speed rail.

Hopefully CSG steps up if there is ever going to be 2nd airport. With high-speed rail being pushed between Columbus and Atlanta, I would love for CSG to add more airlines.

[VJP]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

I'm curious to know "where" they are considering building the sixth runway. The "master plan map" was too blurry for me to read.

North of the fifth runway that crosses over 285"

[emcee squared]

I think it says 7,800' for the runway length, which is rather short for a large commercial airport. Quite an expansion, though.