T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationPercent Increase in Annual Operations MethodThis method assumes that the number of gates needed will increase at the same rate as the anticipated increase inannual passenger operations for either the 2010 FEIS No-Action Alternative Forecast or the 2010 FEIS BuildAlternative Forecast through 2025. This method does not take into account changes in fleet mix, which couldchange gate usage. Table 2-7 shows the results of the analysis of the percent increase in annual operations methodusing both forecasts. The analysis using this method shows that additional gates may not be required during theEIS study years.Table 2-7Percent Increase in Annual Operations Method – 2010 FEIS No-Action Alternative and BuildAlternative Forecasts2010 FEIS No-Action ForecastAir Carrier and Commuter AirlineYear Operations 1 Percent Change Estimated Gate Requirement2004 80,991 -­ 22 22015 65,317 -19.4% 182020 69,416 6.3% 202025 73,8426.4% 22FEIS Build Alternative ForecastAir Carrier and Commuter AirlineYear Operations 3 Percent Change Estimated Gate Requirement2004 80,991 -­ 22 22015 74,077 -8.5% 202020 78,200 5.6% 212025 82,602 5.6% 22Sources: Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (2010).1 Forecast based on existing infrastructure and facilities at T.F. Green Airport; includes Air Carrier and scheduled Air Taxi operations.2 There are currently 22 gates at the terminal building.3 Forecast includes 2010 FEIS No-Action Alternative Forecast and Incremental Build Alternative Forecast. The extension to Runway 5-23 for Alternative B4 would be implemented by 2015. Alternative B2, including extending Runway 5-23, would be implemented by 2020. The facility requirements analysis provided in thischapter only considers the 2015 implementation of the Build Alternatives (see Table 2-2); includes Air Carrier and scheduled Air Taxi operations.ConcourseThe existing terminal building provides approximately 352,000 square feet, including the concourse, or16,000 square feet of passenger-processing facilities per gate. The 2002 T.F. Green Airport Master Plan Updateindicates that an appropriate number of square feet per gate should approach 20,000 square feet to accommodatethe projected total annual passengers and the increased use of larger aircraft. Based on this ratio, there is currentlya total deficiency of nearly 90,000 square feet. The 2002 T.F. Green Airport Master Plan Update also states that“annual activity exceeding six million passengers will trigger the need for initial terminal expansion toapproximately 500,000 square feet of building.” 82 The 2010 FEIS No-Action Alternative Forecast indicates that theAirport would reach six million annual passengers between 2020 and 2025 (Table 2-2). Incremental increases in82 T.F. Green Airport Master Plan Update, Landrum & Brown, Inc., 2002, Page III-32.Chapter 2 – Purpose and Need 2-30 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH02_P&N_JUL_2011.doc