Hensel Phelps is renovating its roadway system with wider, straighter roads and new bridges to improve traffic circulation at Mineta San Jose’ International Airport.

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The Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) in San José, Calif., is currently undergoing a $1.3 billion modernization to provide better convenience and comfort to its nearly 11 million annual passengers when it is completed in 2010.

Greeley, Colo.-based Hensel Phelps Construction Company was selected by the city of San José to perform design/build work on the project.

“We decided to go with design/build because it would allow us to get the most airport for our dollar, on time and on budget,” says Dave Maas, SJC deputy director of airport planning and development.

“We also saw it as a way to minimize risks given the fact that we’re a land-constrained airport. We’re surrounded by a river on one side and freeways on the other three sides.

“We’re sitting on 1,000 acres, so we have to make the most efficient use of the land and space that we have,” he adds. “We knew we would be rebuilding the airport while operating it, so we wanted to have one entity involved in the design and construction.

“When you have several different projects going at once, there is always a risk of conflict among contractors.

“That’s a risk we’re trying to avoid because we’re doing everything in a compressed amount of time,” he adds. “Also, when we started the program, construction prices had increased 12 percent, so the design/build method would provide a link between the designer and the contractor to deal with constructability issues, so we could get the most product built.”

And the Winner Is
After a thorough nine-month selection process, San José ranked San Francisco-based Bechtel Group, Hensel Phelps and New York City-based Turner Construction Co. as its top-three design/build candidates based on performance and qualifications.

After a mutual agreement to discontinue negotiations with Bechtel – originally the first choice – based on complications during negotiations, the city of San José turned to Hensel Phelps, its next top choice. “Hensel Phelps offered a strong design/build portfolio, a team of partners including Denver-based Fentress Architects, as well as extensive airport project experience that matched the needs of San José to maintain an aggressive schedule in an operating environment,” Maas says.  

More Efficient Terminals
The first phase of the two-phase project will replace and upgrade terminal facilities and roads by the end of 2010, while the second will be an expansion “triggered” by future airline or passenger activity, Maas says.         

The first major element of the project is the North Concourse of the future Terminal B, located between existing Terminal A and Terminal C. The quarter-mile-long space, scheduled for completion fall 2008, will include 10 gates, new shops and restaurants in a light and airy walkway reflecting the San José and Silicon Valley environment.

Terminal B will complete and support the North Concourse when placed in service in mid-2010. Once Terminal B is open, all airlines currently using Terminal C will move to either Terminal A or Terminal B. Terminal C will then be completely demolished, making way for future expansion of Terminal B.

Terminal A is being remodeled to double capacity for security checkpoint lanes on the second floor.

Hensel Phelps is also expanding and relocating ticket counters at street level, as well as enlarging space for new concessions and waiting lounges both pre- and post-security. Terminal A improvements are scheduled for completion in summer 2009.

New Technology
Terminals A and B will boast state-of-the-art, automated baggage screening systems. “We’ll be one of the first airports to use XTX98100, the latest in baggage screening technology,” Maas says.

“Right now, bags are moved manually on conveyors. With the new system, once a bag goes to the ticket counter, it will go to the airplane without anybody having to pick up the bag again.

“Each of our carriers using this new system will save millions of dollars in their operating costs over time.”

The project is also employing new technology to allow customers more control over self-ticketing, self-bag drop-off and is offering a more efficient way to get through the security checkpoints.

“We’re building to the latest Transportation Security Administration [TSA] standards,” Maas explains.

“TSA has been involved in our design to ensure that our checkpoints will maintain the flow of passengers and avoid the bottlenecks that can occur now when inspectors have to pull people to the side.” Another innovation is the airport’s decision to implement a renegotiated lease system that will allow airlines to share gates vs. leasing real estate.

“It allows carriers to rent time on a gate vs. having to own the gate all day long,” Maas explains. “If they have delays or just one flight that needs a place to go, we have the ability to put them on a gate for a couple of hours. We can actually increase our capacity by doing that.”

Easier Airport Access
In addition to the terminal upgrade, “we are redoing our highway system to improve circulation for customers,” according to Maas. Hensel Phelps is renovating the airport’s roadway system with wider, straighter roads and new bridges to battle traffic congestion. “The program has improvements for surface parking, rebuilding our ramps and total overhaul of our airfield, as well,” he adds. “We’ve done most of that work already.”

Hensel Phelps is building a 3,350-stall rental car and public parking garage across the street from Terminal B to provide better accessibility to travelers.

“Right now, our rental car facility is congested and requires passengers to take a 10-minute shuttle bus to get to the terminals,” Maas says. “We wanted to provide a rental car facility directly across from the terminals so passengers can walk across the street instead of taking a bus.

“It will be big enough for all of our rental car companies, and they can wash and fuel cars at the garage for quick turn around instead of having to drive off the airport [site],” he explains.

“Because this will be more efficient for the rental car companies, they are looking forward to both providing better service to customers with lower costs of operation.”

Public Reaction
The San José City Council approved a $2.8 billion master plan for long-term development of the airport in the mid-1990s, but after 9/11, annual passenger traffic dropped from about 14 million to 10 million – along with the Silicon Valley economy after the dot.com bust, according to Maas.

“If we stretched out our program, it would have escalated from $2.8 billion to $4.2 billion and our financial projections didn’t look like we could afford it,” he says. “That’s why we sat down with our airlines and community stakeholders in 2005 to redesign the scope of the new airport to accomplish our goals for modernization within the resources we could count on.

“Because of our good partnership with the carriers, who ultimately pay the bills, we were successful in streamlining the project to get the price tag down to about $1.3 billion.”

With Hensel Phelps on board in late 2006, San José could move ahead with design and construction of the new airport.  “Folks in our community are happy we’re finally getting it done,” Maas says. “For years and years, we’ve talked about airport improvements but we weren’t able to get started right way.  

“However, the people of San José clearly understand that the economic fabric of Silicon Valley must include the airport,” he notes. “They supported several ballot measures that enabled the project to proceed.”

He says the airport has enjoyed a lot of community support “to get going and get it done, sooner not later.

“That’s reflected in our construction and the design/
build process,” Maas adds.

“Right now, even though we have the airport torn apart, we’re not getting many complaints because of how fast the project is taking shape.

“Our residents and business know we’re working as hard as we can to complete their new airport on time in 2010, within the budget we’ve promised them, to give them a wonderful gateway for San José and Silicon Valley,” he says.