403 replies to this topic

[1968]

Another recent aerial looking southwest.  The Y bridge on the right has some semblance of 3 layers, but not quite.  It' possible that the Old Oak Ridge Rd bridge could support a 4 lane expansion, if needed later on. (photo courtesy of PTIA)

[cityboi]

This must not be the same interchange. If it is then what we are seeing in the photo is only phase 1 of the interchange and will get more complex.

"PTI officials hope to unveil the final phase during the summer of 2008, Johnson said. Drawings for that system of overpasses and ramps look a little like an NFL playbook or medical diagrams"

[1968]

I believe this is it.  What they mean by phase 3 is opening up and utilizing this entrance off the rerouted Bryan Blvd depicted above into the airport versus the temporary 2 lane access road that will be used in the next month or so.

[cityboi]

It still looks very complex

[NcSc74]

1968, on Oct 11 2006, 07:17 PM, said:

Another recent aerial looking southwest.  The Y bridge on the right has some semblance of 3 layers, but not quite.  It' possible that the Old Oak Ridge Rd bridge could support a 4 lane expansion, if needed later on. (photo courtesy of PTIA)

The more I look at this the more I don't like it. However I do understand that this interchange is not in an urban area but somehow I still believe that the result would be the same.  A huge hulking earthen monster.  The amount of earth moved and then replaced can't be good for the environment around that area.  Not only that somewhere there is habitat that has been destroyed because of all of the earth being removed. And in its place a huge hole that supposedly the DOT says it could be used as ponds or lakes.  I don't get it.  Also look at the sheer complexity of this thing.  A symmetrical stack would save so much land but would cost a lot more because of the extra concrete and steel.  I still like that instead of tearing up the environment.

[1968]

It's definitely changed the landscape of that area.  Prior to any earth being moved, this was actually a very scenic looking corridor.  The original plan, when the new runway was planned, was to have Bryan Blvd tunnel under the runway, but the costs were too high.  Hence the current relocation of the roadway.  IMHO, I would rather have seen the tunnel constructed.

[Roadgeek]

1968, on Oct 11 2006, 11:09 PM, said:

It's definitely changed the landscape of that area.  Prior to any earth being moved, this was actually a very scenic looking corridor.  The original plan, when the new runway was planned, was to have Bryan Blvd tunnel under the runway, but the costs were too high.  Hence the current relocation of the roadway.  IMHO, I would rather have seen the tunnel constructed.

Tunnel? Now I would have loved to see that.

I'm a little confused about this interchange.   I know a lot about interchanges, but I'm still not completely sure about this one.

Edited by Roadgeek, 11 October 2006 - 09:18 PM.

[blburton]

After looking at the renderings over and over, I think the interchange will be a convoluted variation of the "T-interchange".  The network of ramps heading towards the left in the photo are probably the new airport access expressway.  The monkey wrench to the whole project, IMO, is that Bryan Blvd and the access freeway also provide access to 2-lane Old Oak Ridge Rd.  I'm assuming this will be the new Old Oak Ridge Rd Interchange?  I say end OORR at Bryan Blvd from the northwest, then add a new set of ramps to continue OORR southeast on its current course from Bryan - in essence, OORR would co-exist with Bryan for a few hundred yards... or just convert OORR to limited access in that area.

As far as interchanges go, I think this one is my favorite.  http://www.fhwa.dot....hd/i105i110.htm

[cityboi]

1968, on Oct 11 2006, 10:09 PM, said:

It's definitely changed the landscape of that area.  Prior to any earth being moved, this was actually a very scenic looking corridor.  The original plan, when the new runway was planned, was to have Bryan Blvd tunnel under the runway, but the costs were too high.  Hence the current relocation of the roadway.  IMHO, I would rather have seen the tunnel constructed.

yes I remember that, It would have been cool to have a tunnel. There are a number of airports that have highways going under the runway. I've always wonder though why the state like to cut cost in the Triad but then build more expensive freeways and interchanges in the Triangle and in Charlotte.

anyway depite the fact that this interchange has plowed alot of land its still a beautiful interchange the way the ramps curve.

Edited by cityboi, 12 October 2006 - 06:11 AM.

[jasoniman24]

I hope that with the complexity of this interchange, NCDOT will install lighting. They don't need to light the entire freeway, but it would be nice to see a few of the tall lights within the interchange.

[Jerseyman4]

^If anything, the new interchange will likely provide lighting but i doubt all of Bryan Blvd will ever get it.

[transitman]

We talked about this in April, May, and July.

I don't blame the PTI AA leader for fighting for his airport, but this just looks pathetic.

Quote

An angry Piedmont Triad Airport Authority chairman had sharp words for Delta Air Lines on Thursday, saying the carrier charges artificially high prices at the airport and is largely responsible for steep declines in passenger numbers there.

Henry Isaacson faxed his complaints in a letter to Gerald Grinstein, Delta's chairman and chief executive officer, and sent copies to the mayors of Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem.

"As a result of Delta's pricing and inventory policies at (Piedmont Triad International Airport)," he wrote, "your traffic has plummeted at the airport. And, because you have been the largest carrier at GSO, the airport's traffic has dropped significantly."

Quote

Earlier this year, US Airways dropped fares to 33 destinations from PTI and has managed to minimize its loss of passengers here from 228,000 last year to 215,000 this year-to-date.

Delta, by comparison, has seen a huge loss in passengers — from 346,613 to 236,418.

Delta's not saying what's obvious.  They are extricating themselves slowly from the Triad market.  Over time, that pricing will reduce the number of destinations they serve from PTI, causing them to carry fewer passengers, causing them to charge more $$$ per passenger, until "shucks, we just decided to redeploy our planes elsewhere."

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  PTI has about 10 years left as a major airport, and then it will drift into increasing irrelevance.  The Triad should be redoubling its effort to complete the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.  It is the metro area with the most to lose by not having that link in place.

[nowensone]

Wow, I had no idea PTI was in trouble, had just assumed that the new FedEx runway meant it was a good location and that it was too trafficed for use of existing runways with the passenger carriers.  So what happens in this scenario if the Triad continues it's modestly high growth rates?  Does another airline fill the niche?  Or do we all just drive to RDH or CLT and be happy with that?

EDIT - clicked Submit early (as usual):  At what point does NC's growth (and CLT/RDH airports) become so great that PTI becomes the overflow airport and go the other direction and really add flights and terminals?

Edited by nowensone, 13 October 2006 - 09:19 AM.

[transitman]

nowensone, on Oct 13 2006, 11:17 AM, said:

Wow, I had no idea PTI was in trouble, had just assumed that the new FedEx runway meant it was a good location and that it was too trafficed for use of existing runways with the passenger carriers.  So what happens in this scenario if the Triad continues it's modestly high growth rates?  Does another airline fill the niche?  Or do we all just drive to RDH or CLT and be happy with that?

EDIT - clicked Submit early (as usual):  At what point does NC's growth (and CLT/RDH airports) become so great that PTI becomes the overflow airport and go the other direction and really add flights and terminals?

They can try to get Delta/USAir to work on fares, or try to recruit a new low fare airline or non-lowfare airline to spur competition, drop overall fares at PTI, and get passenger traffic back up.  The reason why this letter is a bad sign is that I'm sure there are already people, particularly at PTI, trying to accomplish these things with nothing to show thus far.

[Roadgeek]

You've also got to take into account that Interstate 73 will be apart of this section of Bryan Blvd I believe.

[Jerseyman4]

^For a little while, yes.

Made my #2000 post yayyyyyy

Edited by Jerseyman4, 13 October 2006 - 12:26 PM.

[suburban george3]

Once again while searching for airline tickets, my best deal was out of Charlotte.  Greensboro was a lil' more competitive this time but still in total saved over $125 for the tickets to fly out of Charlotte.  Greensboro NEEDS a low cost carrier!!

[intcvlcphlga]

I just bought a ticket to PTI for Thanksgiving.  It cost 2.5x as much as before 9/11 and 1.5x as much as the ticket last year.  It's time for Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point business leaders to start agressively recruiting jetBlue to PTI.  The airport was in jetBlue's original expansion plans as they looked at CLT, RDU and Richmond.

[urbanesq]

I live on the westen edge of the Triangle and usually fly out of RDU because of proximity and pricing.  The exception, though, is during Furniture Market.  If I have to travel on business during that time, I almost always find better deals in and out of GSO.

[transitman]

More bad news.  PTI down 17% from last October, and its two major airlines may merge, further cutting competition.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but Greensboro ought to be getting serious about the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.