Service disruptions to the Denver International Airport train, which takes passengers between concourses, are rare. But when they do occur, they bring chaos.
The train provides the only form of transportation to and from Concourses B and C, so when there's an issue, waiting areas overcrowd and delays pile up as people cannot get to and from their flights.
In 2022, the airport solicited proposals from private firms to engineer an alternative form of transportation during service disruptions. The Denver Post reported on more than a dozen ideas submitted to DIA, which ranged from the more realistic shuttle or tunnel to sci-fi-esque pods or gondolas.
It turns out a simple bridge is the most realistic answer, according to DIA CEO Phil Washington. He said tunnels are too costly and less viable, and that shuttles would not be able to manage the airport's growing capacity. DIA expects to hit its milestone of more than 100 million passengers in 2027, five years ahead of schedule, and add four new concourses and 100 new gates by 2045.
The bridges would have to be long with moving walkways, and high enough for planes to pass underneath. Washington said the airport would likely want the option for concessions on the bridges as well.
But the price tag, contractor and timeline on a potential project are unclear.
"We're doing more detailed analysis of the ones that we have received, but these are costly," he said. "They are not cheap, and so we'll continue to look at those, and we'll continue to decide whether we should move forward with them."
Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner contributed reporting.
