August 14, 2008

Airport construction continues

This week marks several changes at the San Jose Mineta International Airport. Traffic is shifting as are departures, and the Terminal A garage will continue its 20-minute free rate.

On Thursday, Aug. 14, terminal A traffic shift ed again. The summer road project at Terminal A currently is ahead of schedule, and may be completed by early September instead of early October. So far the impact on passengers and airlines at Terminal A has been minimal as a result of good coordination among the airport, airlines and construction partners. Construction crews continue to work 24 hours a day, six days a week, to help speed the completion of the work.

As of Wednesday, Aug. 13, the project entered the third and final stage of major summer road construction at Terminal A. The project now moves to the north and south ends of the Arrivals side next to the garage at Terminal A, and crews will again shift lanes and curbside drop-off locations to be ready early on the morning of Aug. 14.

The Departures curb for passenger drop-offs at that time moves back to the front of the terminal again. Both lanes on the Departures side of Terminal A will be back in service.

The lanes approaching the garage and Arrivals curb will be reduced to one lane for the next couple of weeks after the curve by the garage into the terminal area. The Arrivals curb itself will be temporarily shortened at its southern end. Personnel hope to reopen these lanes before the Labor Day holiday.

The shuttle bus stop returns to north end of Departures curb, just before you reach the terminal.

You can continue to pick up or drop off passengers inside the Terminal A Garage at no charge, which helps reduce congestion on the curb during this stage of roadwork. You may enter the garage to drop off your travelers, but don’t linger. You must exit before your 20 minutes is up, or you’ll be charged for your entire time in the garage (at least $2 for the first 20 minutes and part of the next 20 minutes).

Those traveling should be warned to get to the airport early. Allow extra time to deal with unexpected traffic and changes in parking so you can get to the terminals at least 90 minutes before your flight. Plan even more time for early morning peak times at Terminal C. The busiest time at Terminal C is between 5 and 7 a.m. when the first wave of flights of the morning gets ready to push out. Follow the signs and parking and traffic officers’ instructions. Don’t make any sudden moves – and please watch out for other drivers, pedestrians and construction workers.

The new Terminal A Express Checkpoint is now open at the International Arrivals Building. Airport staff has worked with TSA to open a new express security checkpoint inside the International Arrivals Building, just after you pass by Terminal A. It will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. If you’ve already printed your boarding pass and don’t have any bags to check, you can quickly enter the terminal right there for Southwest, American, Hawaiian and Mexicana Airlines.

Don’t circle the airport while waiting for passengers to arrive or get their baggage. Instead, park at the SJC Cell Phone Waiting Area on Airport Parkway, between Highway 87 and Technology Drive, and have travelers call you when they arrive so you can meet them at the curb. Also, if your passengers don’t have bags to claim, you can have them meet you on the Departures side during non-peak hours. For a map of the Cell Phone Waiting Area, go to: SJC Cell Phone Waiting Area.

To help relieve traffic at Terminal A during the summer, there is a temporary detour that will let drivers heading to Terminal C to bypass Terminal A and shorten the loop. Although the detour bypass is popular with drivers, the construction schedule calls for closing it this fall to allow the rest of the work on the roads and the garage to continue. The good news is that when the airport roadwork is completed in late 2010, there will be a new, permanent bypass road that will let you go directly to the new Terminal B.

Because of construction work and concern about protecting public safety, the airport staff has closed pedestrian access to the airport at Skyport Boulevard and Airport Parkway. When construction is complete and the new roadway completed in late 2010, however, there will be crosswalks offering better pedestrian access.

Passengers and employees on foot still have the option of using the free VTA Line 10 bus, the “Airport Flyer,” that stops at locations near the Metro light rail station on North First Street, Technology Drive and Airport Parkway just before entry to the airport, as well as from the Santa Clara Caltrain station. The Airport Flyer route and information can be found at VTA Airport Flyer Line 10.

For current information about construction impacts to the airport, call (408) 501-0630. The recorded message is frequently updated to help passengers as changes affecting roads, terminals, and parking at SJC are made.