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Dulles 'people mover' to start rolling in 2009
This time next year, a new rail system will be shuffling 6,755 passengers an hour by train through Washington Dulles International Airport.The airport's AeroTrain underground automated people mover system is expected to be fully functional by late 2009, according to James E. Bennett, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
The authority held a media tour Aug. 18 to update its ongoing capital development program called Dulles Development, or D2.
The D2 program has been in progress since 2001 with $3 billion invested so far in airport improvements. This figure includes the $1.4 billion for the AeroTrain system, which will change the way passengers travel through the airport.
Today, the main terminal at Dulles has two levels: Departures for ticket counters and security screening, and Arrivals for baggage claim and exiting to the terminal parking lot.
Beginning next year, there will be four levels: Departures, Arrivals, Security Mezzanine and the AeroTrain Main Terminal station. This station will become the transportation center of the airport, where many of the airport's 25 million annual passengers will connect via rubber-wheeled electric trains to the concourses and gates.
"We are nearing the end of a very long and very complicated project," Bennett said of the train system's first phase.
The initial phase of the AeroTrain will include nearly 5 miles of underground guideways, four stations, a maintenance facility and a fleet of 29 cars -- each with a capacity of 70-90 passengers.
The train cars will run in groups of four, and will replace most of the airport's 49 mobile lounges, which also each have a passenger capacity of 70-90, but run on diesel fuel and must yield to aircraft traffic on the tarmac.
After the rail system is operational, Bennett said some mobile lounges will continue to serve international arrivals, who need to be processed through customs before entering the main terminal. One of every four airport arrivals are international passengers.
Other ongoing D2 construction projects include a fourth runway scheduled to open in November, a new fire and rescue station, and the expansion of the international arrivals building to twice its current size.
Contact the reporter at gmacdonald@timespapers.com
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