Expansion of Ford Airport

[gvsusean]

on top of the parking deck expansion (creation) a new gate and waiting area is going to be built at a cost of 1.8 million. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12389292/

[Greedo]

Are there plans, images, schematics!?! Where's the beef?

[dbrok]

Expect a new website from the airport soon, too.

[DwntwnGeo]

I think this will be a good thing for the future growth of Grand Rapids and the surrounding areas. I cannot wait to see some drawing concepts of what it will look like with the new parking ramp also. I had also heard that the orginal plan was to extend the 36th street exit from I-96 to the actual terminal and parking area now. To do this, wouldn't they have to go underneath one of the exisiting runways? Either way, I am glad to hear about continued growth for the area

[GRDadof3]

That's great that they are adding a new concourse. I had not heard about that one. This thread had a few renderings of the new ramp:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...0978&hl=airport

I don't know when construction is supposed to start. Are they really going to add this new concourse on top of the parking ramp?

[joeDowntown]

I wonder how many gates they will add. Concourse B always seems dead to me when I travel. Hopefully they are picking up a new carrier to fill in the gap.

Joe

[DwntwnGeo]

Maybe they will get a newer carrier like "Jet Blue" to come into the area? There was some talk about that before on one of the forums

I wonder how many gates they will add. Concourse B always seems dead to me when I travel. Hopefully they are picking up a new carrier to fill in the gap.

Joe

[grrwymg]

Maybe they will get a newer carrier like "Jet Blue" to come into the area? There was some talk about that before on one of the forums

Go tell JeBlue that you want them flying into/out of GRR:

http://www.jetblue.com/email/citysuggest.a...p=where_we_fly1

We got enough of us to get GR listed on "Pitch Your Burg" - lets get JetBlue into GRR!!

[Greedo]

I just suggested GR, serviced by NYC, which is know is their major E. Coast Hub.

Flights out West--AZ, Long Beach would be popular destinations too I imagine.

[GR8scott]

i though there were plans to add multiple gates, like 4 or 5?

and I would love to see a tunnel connecting to 36th street exit after thats complete, the one under tulip city airport is pretty sweet and a tunnel for ford airport would benifit a lot more

its good to see there is still expansion in the shaky and unpredictable airline industry

[Yankee Fan]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when they stated "on top of the parking deck" didn't they intend that to mean "in addition to the already planned parking deck" and not literally to build it on the parking ramp. Logistically, I do not know how they could do that, anyways.

[gvsusean]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when they stated "on top of the parking deck" didn't they intend that to mean "in addition to the already planned parking deck" and not literally to build it on the parking ramp. Logistically, I do not know how they could do that, anyways.

ya its not literally on top of the ramp but being built as well...... your crazy, I like you, but your crazy

[jayblogger]

Go tell JeBlue that you want them flying into/out of GRR:

http://www.jetblue.com/email/citysuggest.a...p=where_we_fly1

We got enough of us to get GR listed on "Pitch Your Burg" - lets get JetBlue into GRR!!

I just voted for GRR with service from NYC (or Long Beach or Ft. Lauderdale; those would work for other trips, but a NYC destination is key)

[Nitro]

Go tell JeBlue that you want them flying into/out of GRR:

We got enough of us to get GR listed on "Pitch Your Burg" - lets get JetBlue into GRR!!

Hmmm......this theory could work on a lot of levels.

Everyone drop an envelope in the mail with $5 addressed to: Nitro, Po Box................

[GRGyp]

Hmmm......this theory could work on a lot of levels.

Everyone drop an envelope in the mail with $5 addressed to: Nitro, Po Box................

Would you like my Monopoly $5 bill, or the $5 bill from my kid's play cash register?

Oh, or I could give you a $5000 bill from my Acquire game.

Or I could give you two $5000 bills from my Life game, and you can place it on two numbers and spin the wheel!

[WOT]

Would you like my Monopoly $5 bill, or the $5 bill from my kid's play cash register?

Oh, or I could give you a $5000 bill from my Acquire game.

Or I could give you two $5000 bills from my Life game, and you can place it on two numbers and spin the wheel!

Or a bunch of CYBERNET stock

[grrwymg]

Or a bunch of CYBERNET stock

Man am I glad I didn't get hired in there when I interviewed with them. Geeze, must've been back in '01.

The place looked nice at least!!

[highwayguy]

I had also heard that the orginal plan was to extend the 36th street exit from I-96 to the actual terminal and parking area now. To do this, wouldn't they have to go underneath one of the exisiting runways?

The new offramps that currently end in a "T" intersection at 36th St line up almost perfectly with the terminal at the airport. Coincidence? Probably not. There is only one runway in the way, and it is only used for small non-commercial aircraft, so I wouldn't think tunneling underneath it would be too much of an issue. Looking at a satellite photo of the airport, I'm thinking that it might also be possible to extend this runway to the west and then tear up the east end to make way for a new road. The only other obstacle is the railroad tracks, which would be easy enough to go over/under.

[GRDadof3]

The new offramps that currently end in a "T" intersection at 36th St line up almost perfectly with the terminal at the airport. Coincidence? Probably not. There is only one runway in the way, and it is only used for small non-commercial aircraft, so I wouldn't think tunneling underneath it would be too much of an issue. Looking at a satellite photo of the airport, I'm thinking that it might also be possible to extend this runway to the west and then tear up the east end to make way for a new road. The only other obstacle is the railroad tracks, which would be easy enough to go over/under.

That's funny. A long time ago, when they were gathering public input, I sent the Kent Aeronautics Board and MDOT a drawing of an idea showing an exit ramp off of M-6 (which was under development at the time) and a tunnel under the North/South runway that was under construction at the time. It looked something like the blue lines on this map. But it sounds like they may do an extension/tunnel under the other runway, which is a shorter distance and now makes more sense than my idea Although, the 36th St off-ramp wasn't even dreamed of back then.

[GR8scott]

I think this has always been a possibility, at least in my mind I thought of this years ago that there should be a tunnel to kraft and an exit at Kraft.

MDOT probably had plans a long time ago too because if you look at I-96 it was set up there for an exit with the space between the lanes, also before the small noth runway was built the airport access road turned north into Kraft, the one thing this airport does not have is direct access and that sets us apart from larger ones along with a ramp and the return of international flights.

[GRDadof3]

I think this has always been a possibility, at least in my mind I thought of this years ago that there should be a tunnel to kraft and an exit at Kraft.

MDOT probably had plans a long time ago too because if you look at I-96 it was set up there for an exit with the space between the lanes, also before the small noth runway was built the airport access road turned north into Kraft, the one thing this airport does not have is direct access and that sets us apart from larger ones along with a ramp and the return of international flights.

So you're telling me there's no way I had anything to do with it?

[GRDadof3]

I guess this is as good a thread as any for this:

Ford Aiport to tap major Rockies market by Fall

GRAND RAPIDS -- This fall, United Airlines will open a major portal between West Michigan and the western United States.

On Tuesday, it announced plans to begin daily direct service between Grand Rapids and its hub in Denver on Sept. 6.

Denver International is the sixth busiest U.S. airport and the 11th-busiest in the world. Denver is the seventh most-popular destination for travelers leaving Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

[MJLO]

that rocks, maybe that will mean cheaper tickets from Phoenix

[AlexPKeaton]

That's interesting that Denver is the biggest destination from GRR not currently served by a direct flight. Is it because so many people are just going to Denver, or that so many people have connections in Denver? I guess I'm surprised the biggest destination isn't New York or a west coast city like LA or San Francisco. Though Denver may be a very convienient spot for a layover for a west coast trip. Now if only any flights were available past 11pm at GRR.

-nb

[MJLO]

I think they are saying Denver is a destination, If it were just a layover, GR would already have flights there....I would assume