Woodbridge_Heights
Senior Member
I wish it is as easy and put a shovel in the ground.
The GTAA has to create a new 30 year plan (or most likely a 2050 vision). The old one assumed a lot smaller planes (100 seats or less), different travel patterns and doesn't have the past 10+ years of changing airport mix around the GTA included (i.e. Porter and KW). It now also has the changing transit mix with the known commuters using transit (versus taxis and parking).
They have to re-design Pier G (and if they can keep Pier H) for these bigger planes. Also the deicing and runway capacities. They will also have to figure out how to move people around the terminal for connections (walk? Above the roof or tunneled transit?). Finally they have to figure out the parking and taxi requirements.
I would guess a 2+ year process. I'm guessing they are almost done.
But then the politicians and special interest groups will get involved. At the same time they will show what the future of the Pickering airport is. And the expected growth (or lack thereof) of Hamilton. The east will scream to stop their airport and the west will cry wanting more. So I'm guessing a year of back and forth after it is released before it can be made an official plan and shovels can be put in the ground.
When they do build Pier G, i hope that they extend the people mover to that area. Right now, you have a long walk to get to the far end of terminal 1 when you exit the people mover at that terminal because it stops at west end of the terminal.
From what i can tell this should be a simple extension. If you walk (right now) to the far end of terminal 1 where those piers G, H, and I were planned, you will see that the site is already cleared and empty. There is nothing but gravel and hence nothing to be demolished or relocated.
I'm well aware of the Master Plans and the time frames involved. Their first Master Plan was released around 1999 and the second around 2007, we are now well past the 8 year time frame between plans (third plan would be expected in 2015) and many of the assumptions made in 2007 have changed drastically since. For example the 2007 master plan expected pier g to be required around 2014, granted as stated air traffic patterns have changed.
The 2007 master plan also projected for a additional link train station to be built along with pier H, and the need for an airside terminal link has been brought up in annual meetings.
The whole idea of these master plans when GTAA took over control of Pearson was to have things on the shelf ready to go when demand warrants and not wait until things are terrible before beginning the 2+ years planning process the 5+ years construction.
What I'm saying is that this new master plan should already have been released, not "we are still working on it.".