b'68 TPAPARKINGMoving Walkways Replace Decades-Old Monorail at Tampa Intl BY KEN WYSOCKYGuests at Tampa InternationalJeff McAtee, Airport (TPA) can now use asenior construction series of moving walkways toproject manager at FACTS&FIGURESquickly travel through the long-term parkingTPA, notes that the Project: Moving Walkways garage to the adjacent main terminal, andmonorail was not Location: Tampa (FL) Intl Airport vice versa. For those who dont want toonly old, it was also use the new automated option, TPA alsounderutilized and no Purpose: Increase convenience for customers parking increated a dedicated walking path nextlonger an efficientJEFF McATEElong-term garage to the moving walkways, complete withway to get around. Walkway Manufacturer: Schindler Elevator overhead lighting and improved wayfindingIt was a slow-moving system that lost its Speed: 100 ft./min. signage. relevancy, and passengers were finding Capacity: Up to 6,000 people/hour The walkways essentially replace ait was faster to walk from the long-term Airport Owner/Operator: Hillsborough County Aviationmonorail that used to travel in a loopparking garage to the main terminal.Authority between the long-term garage and theFurthermore, repair parts were getting 2023 Passengers: About 23.9 million airports short-term garage, located justharder to find.Project Cost: $30.4 million above the terminal. The monorail tracksBut we still wanted to supply an Funding: Airport-issued bonds were located three levels above, where theenhanced level of service for our guests, Number of Walkways: 12 walkways now stand.McAtee continues. So now, instead of Configuration: 6 pairs of walkways with lanes flowing inThe airport added 12 moving walkwayswaiting for a few minutes for the monorail opposite directions configured in six pairs with lanes flowingto arrive, guests can just get on the Span of Lengths: 86-133 ft.in opposite directions. Individual walkwaysmoving walkways, which take them right Installation of Walkways: Oct. 2021-June 2023 vary in length from 86 to 133 feet and areto the main entrance of the terminal.divided into sectionsthree pairs on theThe walkways travel a speed of 100 Monorail Demolition: Aug. 2022-Feb. 2024 west end, three on the eastto avoid General Contractor: Manhattan Construction Co.crossing any area with vehicle traffic.feet per minute and can move about 6,000 people each hour. By contrast, Engineering Consultant: C&S Companies The project cost about $30.4 million,the monorail was designed to carry 800 Key Benefits: Customer convenience; eliminatesincluding removal of the monorail system,passengers per hour.time spent waiting for monorail train to arrive; monorailwhich was built in 1991.demolition frees up room for about 524 more parking spacesMay | June 2024AirportImprovement.com'