First of its kind- Skytrain Bridge OVER Taxiway is being built

[roadman65]

We all have been to airports that have taxiway crossings over roads such as JFK Airport over I-678, Chicago O' Hare over I-190 and a local mass transit line, and even LAX runways over CA 1 in Los Angeles, but one built over a taxiway seems like something that no engineer would undertake.  Yet a Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport the Skytrain  that is the Airport Transit system for the facility is building a 100 feet tall overpass that will allow almost all jets including a Boeing 747 to pass under it.  Only the Airbus A380 will not clear the structure when complete, but otherwise a first of its kind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPGMzW2Ev_M

[vtk]

Doesn't Denver already have a structure bridging over a taxiway?

[SteveG1988]

That...is just a dumb idea, you need LESS near the taxiway rather than MORE, problem is now they have constrained the airport to aircraft of a certain type or less.  A380 is one of the biggest, for now, but who knows what will come next? A tunnel would have served it better

[Alps]

How about a swing bridge

[tdindy88]

Doesn't Denver already have a structure bridging over a taxiway?

Yes, a pedestrian bridge that connects Terminal A to the main terminal building (I forget it's exact name at the moment.) You an also take the train that connects all the terminals as well. I can also say that that bridge does provide for some good photo opportunities of planes as you see them coming down the taxiway.

[formulanone]

A380 is one of the biggest, for now, but who knows what will come next?

Few places can even handle an A380 anyhow; I think only twelve airports in the world can deal with one at this point.

Hey, it gives you a reason to stretch your legs after an oh-so-comfortable US Airways flight in one of their "Xtra Cozy Knee-Capper" Boeing 737-400s...

[SteveG1988]

One other thing, that should be noted, if someone wants to knock out most of that airport, just have to destory the bridge.

[ibagli]

Are there alternate routes around the bridge (as there are in Denver)? Edit: It's over Taxiway R, and based on the airport diagram it looks like there are two other taxiways (T and S) that could be used if a plane couldn't fit or if the bridge fell down. According to this bid information the extension to the west will be going under those taxiways.

[Duke87]

I think the concern is not that planes can't go around the bridge, it's that pedestrians have no means of getting to or from Terminal A without using it... hence knocking that part of the airport out of commission if the bridge is destroyed.

[triplemultiplex]

Phoenix will be leveled by 20 earthquakes before some terrorist passes on thousands of better targets to attack some skybridge at the airport.  "Ha HA! I've inconvenienced thousands of travelers! Take that, America!"

Extremely low probability event not worth considering.

[1995hoo]

Doesn't Denver already have a structure bridging over a taxiway?

Yes, a pedestrian bridge that connects Terminal A to the main terminal building (I forget it's exact name at the moment.) You an also take the train that connects all the terminals as well. I can also say that that bridge does provide for some good photo opportunities of planes as you see them coming down the taxiway.

I think I recall the main building being called the Jeppersen Terminal (or something very similar to that). The view from that bridge was pretty neat.

[roadman65]

 I saw the picture of the said Denver pedestrian walkway over the tarmac.  It does not look that high for a plane's tail to clear the underside.  Then again, looks can be disceiving.

If it is true, then vtk is right.  You have a great photo opportunity as with the skytrain in Phoenix you would have to be on the train at the same time as a plane would pass by that has astronomical odds of you hitting the right moment.  At least at Denver you can be still and wait. 

[DAL764]

I saw the picture of the said Denver pedestrian walkway over the tarmac.  It does not look that high for a plane's tail to clear the underside.  Then again, looks can be disceiving.

It certainly is not that high. IIRC, when Frontier Airlines first got their A318s, there were some issues that the A318 could not use the taxiways under the bridge but rather had to taxi right in the middle of the taxiways between it's tail at a height of 41ft1in was too high, unlike their A319s, which at 38ft7in were just small enough to pass under the bridge on the taxiways.

[mapman1071]

We all have been to airports that have taxiway crossings over roads such as JFK Airport over I-678, Chicago O' Hare over I-190 and a local mass transit line, and even LAX runways over CA 1 in Los Angeles, but one built over a taxiway seems like something that no engineer would undertake.  Yet a Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport the Skytrain  that is the Airport Transit system for the facility is building a 100 feet tall overpass that will allow almost all jets including a Boeing 747 to pass under it.  Only the Airbus A380 will not clear the structure when complete, but otherwise a first of its kind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPGMzW2Ev_M

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is not  certified for A380 Super Jumbo, however only BA Uses 747's In normal Flight Service here. Air Freight Carriers with 747f's Use the south runways at Night and do not crossover to/from the N to S runways. 

[roadman65]

http://skyharbor.com/PhxPerspective/FirstTaxiwayRide.html

Here is a link to the site that boasts about this accomplishment.  It has a youtube window where you can view a US Airways flight pass beneath it with a train stopped above it on its christening or maiden train ride.