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Teamwork Parking Solution at Bradley International Airport in CT

January, 2002

When airport parking is scarce, traffic congestion increases, passenger temperatures rise, tempers flare, and (more likely than not) parking revenues dip.
These were some of the growing pains Bradley International Airport (BIA) in Connecticut faced prior to the grand opening of its $37 million renovated parking facilities earlier this year. Solutions to these problems would include an entire overhaul of the parking facilities including new age hardware and software.
Located in Windsor Locks, CT, Bradley is the largest medium-hub international airport within a 30-mile radius of Hartford. As a significant and growing player in international air transport, the airport understood modern parking facility design as a key to customer satisfaction, smooth passenger transition through the entire complex, and revenue generation.
BPI built a new parking facility capable of taking the airport well into this new century by assembled a team comprised of:
* APCOA Standard Parking (the facility operator).
* Tomasso Brothers Construction and TBI Construction.
* Parking systems equipment manufacturer Amano Cincinnati.
* Local consultants and distributor Industrial Time & Systems Inc. (I-T-S).
* McGann facilities management software.

Future growth and security
Tomasso Brothers, construction mangers for the project, partnered with APCOA to design and fund the project. The new facility includes over 9,000 spaces with 20 entrance lanes equipped with ticket dispensers and 15 exit lanes with fee computers with credit card and license plate identification for faster customer ingress, egress and improved security. The design also includes two credit card rapid payment systems and pay stations with credit card validators to help further speed passengers along their way. Customers can also opt to pay their parking fees while waiting for their baggage.
One goal for the new facility was to provide a neat, clean, reliable communications network for all locations. The design called for minimizing cable runs and maximizing service. This task fell to I-T-S, which installed all of the parking equipment, including pulling cable, final terminations, networking of all the equipment, installation of the McGann software systems with license plate inventory, support and training.
Officially opened on May 22, 2001, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland, the new parking facilities at Bradley International Airport have helped reduce traffic congestion, increased overall parking space availability, improved passenger transit through the airport, and allowed for future expansion. In addition to convenience, the new system has allowed BPI to offer patrons rates comparable and competitive with off-site facilities -- an unbeatable combination contribution to higher revenues for the airport.


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