New Atlanta airport master plan eyes new gates, sixth runway (Jackson: transfer, buy)

[jsvh]

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.

Between the 5th run way and the terminal. So the 6th runway will be parallel but closer in than the 5th one.

[LynnHarris]

Originally Posted by VJP

North of the fifth runway that crosses over 285"

Originally Posted by jsvh

Between the 5th run way and the terminal. So the 6th runway will be parallel but closer in than the 5th one.

Thanks for the info...

[fermie125]

If Delta and Air Tran Airways get their way, Metro Atlanta will be denied a 2nd regional commercial airport, which it desperately needs. The COA could easily build a commercial airport with TWO 10,000ft runways at either the Paulding or Dawson location for the same price it would take to build ONE 5,000ft runway and a couple of new concourses at Hartsfield. Plus both of those locations are not land-locked, whereas Hartsfield is. Continually expanding Hartsfield at this point is a lesson in the law of diminishing returns. Developing an airport in the exurbs will yield much greater air traffic capacity at pennies on the dollar compared to retrofitting Hartsfield again and again. Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, St Louis, New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa all have more than one commercial airport. The FAA has directed the COA to look into adding air traffic capacity in the region. As we move into the future with ever growing aviation demand, the common sense of a 2nd airport will grow into a dull roar.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by fermie125

If Delta and Air Tran Airways get their way, Metro Atlanta will be denied a 2nd regional commercial airport, which it desperately needs. The COA could easily build a commercial airport with TWO 10,000ft runways at either the Paulding or Dawson location for the same price it would take to build ONE 5,000ft runway and a couple of new concourses at Hartsfield. Plus both of those locations are not land-locked, whereas Hartsfield is. Continually expanding Hartsfield at this point is a lesson in the law of diminishing returns. Developing an airport in the exurbs will yield much greater air traffic capacity at pennies on the dollar compared to retrofitting Hartsfield again and again. Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, St Louis, New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa all have more than one commercial airport. The FAA has directed the COA to look into adding air traffic capacity in the region. As we move into the future with ever growing aviation demand, the common sense of a 2nd airport will grow into a dull roar.

Makes lots of sense.

[bryantm3]

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

i think the time will eventually come that a building a second airport will be the only option. the thing is, i can't imagine where to place another airport that has access to atlanta anywhere near what hartsfield-jackson does, unless they expand peachtree-dekalb or charlie brown.

this is at least 20 years off, by the way.

[tikigod311]

Connectivity is what drives the importance of ATL. A second airport could diminish that greatly. I guess a second airport could handle local traffic without having too much impact on that, but it still makes it more complicated for connecting passengers.

The airport isn't really landlocked. There isn't anything much of value south of the fifth runway. Clayton could almost benefit from getting rid of some of that aging multi-family housing that is currently in the way. Expansion would be pricey, but it is possible.

ATC tech will continue to make ATL more efficient as well.

[magnetar]

The low-res photo from ABC was bugging me so I resized it and re-wrote the text labels wherever I could figure out what they were. Still a few questions but much easier to make out what's what here. Looks like some promising improvements. Click the full size version to read the labels.

[bryantm3]

if they decided to convert peachtree-dekalb into a commercial airport, i think it could be done. they would have to acquire all the land between chamblee-dunwoody and clairmont road, which is mostly old industrial properties.

i was looking at how LaGuardia is laid out in Queens, and it uses a much more complex system of terminals and runways than hartsfield-jackson; if they were willing to use a more complex plan, and fewer runways, they would have an easier time finding a place to put another airport.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i think the time will eventually come that a building a second airport will be the only option. the thing is, i can't imagine where to place another airport that has access to atlanta anywhere near what hartsfield-jackson does, unless they expand peachtree-dekalb or charlie brown.

this is at least 20 years off, by the way.

I think they'd have to rework those runways at P'tree Dekalb to handle the larger aircraft. Houston built a 2nd airport but I like flying out of the old one because it is much smaller, only two concourses and easy to navigate.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I think they'd have to rework those runways at P'tree Dekalb to handle the larger aircraft. Houston built a 2nd airport but I like flying out of the old one because it is much smaller, only two concourses and easy to navigate.

Hobby? It's so much easier than IAH. I've dropped my dad off there and at IAH several times the past few years. I had to fly out of concourse A at IAH back in October and it took me some time to figure out where to go. ATL is much clearer.