It has been more than a year since I have written a column entirely
dedicated to the Wayne County Airport Authority’s north terminal project at
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, so it is indeed time to provide
an update.
Let’s briefly return to the genesis of this project. In June 2001, with the
award-winning McNamara Terminal nearing completion, the airlines approved a
project to replace the old Davey and Smith Terminals with a new facility.
Due to a variety of events, including the dramatic drop in passengers after
Sept. 11, 2001, the project was delayed.
In October 2004, as passenger traffic recovered, design of the new terminal
began. Site demolition and construction began in October 2005 and has been
under way ever since. Much of the construction material from the demolition
of the Davey Terminal and the old Marriott Hotel was recycled for use in
other construction projects and many fixtures from the hotel were donated to
Habitat for Humanity.
The new facility, scheduled to open in the fall of 2008, will accommodate
all airlines now flying out of the Smith and Berry Terminals. They currently
include Air Canada, American, Air Tran, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, United,
USAirways/America West, and USA 3000 as well as non-scheduled airlines such
as Champion Air, Ryan Air and others.
International carriers Lufthansa and Royal Jordanian will move from the
McNamara Terminal.
Northwest Airlines and its SkyTeam partners, Northwest Airlink, Air France,
Continental and Delta will remain at the McNamara Terminal which opened in
February 2002.
The north terminal will open with 24 gates and two international wide-body
gates will be added in the spring of 2009, after some necessary demolition
of currently occupied gates at the Smith Terminal.
If you have passed the construction site on your way to the Smith Terminal,
you have noticed that building foundations and the erection of structural
steel is substantially complete. Roofing and the installation of exterior
wall panels is under way.
You may have also noticed that the impressive, high-performance, ultra-clear
glass panels are being installed on the north terminal check-in building.
Fire protection systems and heating, ventilation and air conditioning
systems are currently being installed.
Six of the escalators have already been set in place. Elevators and moving
walkways will come next. Interior stud framing is underway from the north
end of the north concourse progressing southward. Plumbing and mechanical
piping is underway throughout the project.
Installations of modern electronic security monitoring systems, paging
systems, communications systems, and flight information display systems for
all north terminal airlines are yet to come.
Foundations for the passenger boarding bridges have been installed as the
bridges themselves are being manufactured off-site. Construction of the
baggage handling system, with its multiple conveyers has been underway since
June.
This terminal will feature an efficient in-line checked baggage screening
system. A ground transportation center for the terminal is now being
designed and is anticipated to open with the north terminal.
While designers, contractors and workers are making steady progress on this
project, safety remains the top priority. Through August, more than 655,000
man-hours of construction have occurred without a lost-time injury.
When it opens, the attractive the new terminal will provide conveniences and
efficiencies currently not possible in the Smith and Berry Terminals for
passengers and airlines alike.
In the meantime, you can see two models of the terminal and conceptual
drawings at the north terminal display in the Smith Terminal check-in lobby;
or visit www.metroairport.com
under features click on north terminal then click on design images.
You can be assured that we will continue to provide updates to you on the
ever-changing skyline of Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
