Double-Digit Dulles Growth Determines Development

<B>Double-Digit Dulles Growth Determines Development</B>

By Barbara Cook

Officials at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority report double-digit growth figures for 1999 at Dulles International, even as preliminary work continues on the next phase of the overall upgrade to the original terminal.

"We continue to improve and expand our facilities to accommodate growth at Dulles," said MWAA spokesperson Tara Hamilton. "We had a 25 percent increase in passengers in 1999, so we're ahead of the national growth rate at other airports."

In 1998, Dulles served 15.7 million passengers, 2 million more than the previous year. By the end of 1999, the airport had handled 19.7 million travelers. Officials attribute the steady growth curve to a combination of a strong U.S. economy, expansion of the airport's facilities and new air service.

Last year, Dulles welcomed its 17th and 18th new international airlines when Sabena and BWIA International began service on Oct. 31. Sabena now operates to Brussels five times per week, while BWIA flies to Trinidad four times a week. The addition of these two carriers now means Dulles offers direct service to 30 international markets with nearly 250 weekly flights.

In 1996, the Airports Authority doubled the size of the original terminal building, which opened in 1962, through the construction of an addition of equal size. Among the rehab projects now underway in the old section of the terminal is construction of new ticketing counters. Hamilton said the new counters will be located farther back in the building to permit more passenger queuing room. Ticket counters also will be on both sides of the new location, rather than just on the front side of the building as it previously was. In addition to providing more space for existing carriers, the new counters will accommodate new carriers that begin serving Dulles.

"We're also preparing the way to rebuild the regional airline gates," Hamilton said. "We will totally rebuild those because we opened Concourse A for Atlantic Coast Airlines in early 1999." The new Concourse A, which opened in May 1999, has 12 gates to accommodate 36 aircraft, including regional jets. The reconstructed regional gates on the lower level of the main terminal will provide room for expansion by existing carriers or the launch of service by new entrants, added Hamilton.

Work also is underway at Dulles to relocate some of the mobile lounge docks to the base of the control tower to provide room for an expanded bag area in the basement, addition of new gates in back of the terminal and construction of a pedestrian tunnel to Concourse B. In addition to the planned pedestrian tunnel, preliminary design work is underway on a separate underground people mover rail system that will connect all concourses to the main terminal.

Finally, 8,000 public parking spaces were added to Dulles lots in 1999, bringing the airport's total parking to 23,000 spaces, including hourly, daily and long-term economy.

Meanwhile, at Reagan National Airport, also operated by MWAA, officials on Feb. 1 opened a new entrance to the facility designed to improve the movement of traffic on the airport grounds and enhance safety for bicyclists and pedestrians on the Mount Vernon Trail near the airport.

As part of the roadway entrance project, two bridges were constructed to raise the Mount Vernon Trail above the new roadway and the existing roadway at the north exit of the airport. This means recreational traffic on the trail no longer will have to cross at grade level in front of airport traffic.

In addition to the new entrance and Mount Vernon Trail bridges, the Airports Authority recently opened a new entrance ramp to the third level of Garage A for rental car customers, as well as completed improvements to the pedestrian entrance to Garage A.

Feb. 1 also marked the introduction of new parking rates at Reagan National. Long-term economy parking has been reduced, from $8 to $7 for 24 hours, while daily parking rates were increased, from $12 to $14 for 24 hours. The hourly parking rate has not changed and remains $28 for 24 hours.

MWAA said the parking rate adjustment is intended to encourage drivers who plan to leave their vehicles at the airport for two days or more to use the economy parking and free up more spaces in the daily parking for short-term stays.