Navigating DIA Construction Not As Bad As It Looks
DENVER (CBS4) - A big construction project is under way at Denver International Airport. The terminal makeover will impact anyone dropping off or picking up passengers.
There are lots of orange cones and lots of signs at DIA's west terminal. It may look a little tricky but airport officials are hoping drivers will be able to make sense of it all.
"Even though its kind of a mess, but it wasn't too confusing to figure it out," driver Laura Ryan said.
"A little bit because we are so used to coming this way it almost felt like I'm coming the other, the wrong way," driver Prasun Allepalli said.
The detour is in place while construction work begins on the bridges on levels four and six -- passenger drop off and passenger pick up. The work paves the way for a new hotel and light rail station to be built on the south end of the airport.
"I've been thinking that it would be really nice, it would be good for people who are business people coming in briefly," passenger Karen Pepper said.
"We're asking people to follow the signs, slow down a little, or even a lot," said Stu Williams, DIA Program Manager.
Maps of the new detour can be found at the airports website, flydenver.com. DIA officials hope that with a little patience there will be a big payoff for visitors to the city.
"The benefit of having the train station out here and the hotel is just huge, not only for DIA, but for the region," Williams said.
The construction on the west side of the terminal will take about a year to complete. Once the side is finished work will start on the east side.
The hotel and light rail project is expected to be finished by 2016.
