OFFICIAL - New KCI Terminal

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Somehow KCI today manages to make it work despite very minimal traffic in the below ground tubes. Peer airports are set up similar to our new terminal and make it work.

Yeah there is a LOT of fearmongering going on in this thread given KCI's traffic.

I feel like every airport I have been to is set up at the arrival level exactly like new the terminal. The one difference maybe there are a couple more lanes away from the terminal but those are always filled with shuttle buses that are moving to the garage instead here. Same/same.

I’m speaking from my experience with a similar airport that is regularly congested, and simply voicing the concern that the new terminal will also suffer from these shortcomings. Hardly call that fear mongering, more so observation

[beautyfromashes]

Our new terminal reminds me a lot, in both good and bad ways, of the Austin airport. It’s going to be way more good than bad, but the congestion is one area of concern due to my experience with that airport.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Our new terminal reminds me a lot, in both good and bad ways, of the Austin airport. It’s going to be way more good than bad, but the congestion is one area of concern due to my experience with that airport.

Every time I travel down there to pick up soldiers it’s always lined up to the split, pedestrians constantly walking across traffic lanes also contribute to the halts. Hopefully I’m wrong about the similarities as well

[KCPowercat]

Seems AUS only has one lane going into arrivals where looks like we'll have two. Buses also won't be clogging up the drive lanes as they will be the garage. Not to mention we don't have the passenger count AUS has.

It looks like an overall fair comparison though on how it's laid out. Just seems every airport is laid out this way now and it's not a large concern anywhere. I don't try into the arrivals area often at any other airports though so don't know how they back up going into that area.

[KCPowercat]

On another topic looks like the council members who had a "vested" interest in other companies winning decided to throw a fit and walk out today. Honestly I think any public official walking out of a vote to cause a quorum type issue should be immediately taken out of any chair positions. Happens again, immediate recall election.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Seems AUS only has one lane going into arrivals where looks like we'll have two. Buses also won't be clogging up the drive lanes as they will be the garage. Not to mention we don't have the passenger count AUS has.

It looks like an overall fair comparison though on how it's laid out. Just seems every airport is laid out this way now and it's not a large concern anywhere. I don't try into the arrivals area often at any other airports though so don't know how they back up going into that area.

It’s two lane running into the arrivals area, the buses branch off as well prior to getting to the terminal doors, and they occupy the outer island area. Having busses and ride share pick up/drop off in the marshaling area in the garage might be the best thing we can do

[normalthings]

Has... has anyone else in Kansas City been to a similarly sized, recently constructed (within the last 20 years) airport terminal before? People, this works in other cities. It will work here. Not every Kansas Citian is an Unfrozen Cave Man Flyer.

"Your terminal building frightens and confuses me..."

Seems like main complaint is Austin which is undersized for traffic they see today

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Has... has anyone else in Kansas City been to a similarly sized, recently constructed (within the last 20 years) airport terminal before? People, this works in other cities. It will work here. Not every Kansas Citian is an Unfrozen Cave Man Flyer.

"Your terminal building frightens and confuses me..."

Seems like main complaint is Austin which is undersized for traffic they see today

That’s the terminal I've encountered, unsure about others. They experienced rapid growth as a destination, whereas KC could likely see growth as a connection point, so hopefully the same issues affecting Austin don’t affect us.

[atticus23]

On another topic looks like the council members who had a "vested" interest in other companies winning decided to throw a fit and walk out today. Honestly I think any public official walking out of a vote to cause a quorum type issue should be immediately taken out of any chair positions. Happens again, immediate recall election.

One of the council members called the meeting a “shit show,” and The Star used it as a headline

[KCPowercat]

Loar and shields

[herrfrank]

I am also surprised that there is not an "improved" connection between the garage and the terminals. Sea-Tac for example has two tubes (grade separated between the arrivals and departure roadways) with moving walkways and check-in kiosks. They connect with one of the middle floors in the garage.

Same with Miami from the people mover to D and E. It seems like a design miss not to have a wheels-friendly option for the 500 feet from, say, the middle of the parking structure to the ticket counters. Airports are one place where many people often juggle a lot of stuff (baby seats, wheelchairs, heavy luggage).

Moving walkways also can be ramped to the ticketing grade (only about 8 feet vertically) once inside the terminal (see Providence airport for an example).

I am repeating this post for posterity. I think we will see local outrage after the first pedestrian incident at the new terminal.

The lack of grade separation between pedestrians with babies/ luggage/ wheelchairs crossing a six-lane roadway perpendicular to the primary garage and rushing traffic consisting of private vehicles plus hotel/ rental car/ off-campus parking shuttle busses -- not a smart solution. People are in a hurry at the airport -- means less attentiveness to their surroundings. This should be design for dummies 101 -- get the pedestrians away from the vehicular traffic.

[normalthings]

Have there been any accidents at current KCI that you can remember? No

Does anyone use the current below ground tube? Not many

[KCPowercat]

They will not be crossing shuttle buses. Those will be in the garage. This seems pretty standard in airports with this configuration? Why do we think it's so insurmountable here?

[alejandro46]

I agree, I don't see what the big deal is. A lot of airports have similar walkways. See San Jose as a good example. Raised cross walks with traffic lights.

[TheSmokinPun]

I'd gander that plenty of people are aware of how to...*let me check this right*...cross the street.

[Critical_Mass]

I'd gander that plenty of people are aware of how to...*let me check this right*...cross the street.

Any weekend visit to the Crossroads will quickly dispel this belief.

[beautyfromashes]

I'd gander that plenty of people are aware of how to...*let me check this right*...cross the street.

Any weekend visit to the Crossroads will quickly dispel this belief.

That's no lie!

[KCPowercat]

Shockingly Loar again caught up in a conflict. Why does she keep getting elected?

[Sani]

I agree, I don't see what the big deal is. A lot of airports have similar walkways. See San Jose as a good example. Raised cross walks with traffic lights.

A lot of airports either have traffic signals or police who act as crossing guards at the crosswalks, stopping traffic to allow people to cross the roadway. Either way, people just aren't getting mowed down outside baggage claims across America.

[dukuboy1]

I like the idea of traffic signals as a way to help or Police/Security crossing guards. But I think every airport with the garage right across from the terminal has this set up. I mean Vegas has tons of traffic and they have people crossing over from the garage on departures.

I agree if they could build a different solution that would be better to minimize risk to people crossing across heavy traffic via sky bridge or underground from garage to terminal. I know when I have used the short term parking at KCI now across from terminal I always use the underground if I'm inside the garage, I only cross the lanes if I'm parked up top. Mainly for easy of use, as in the garage there are only steps to reach the street from the garage. If you are wheeling luggage you have to use the elevator and tunnel.

But I do not see this being a huge problem, but do agree if it can/needs be addressed now would be the time to do it