Atlanta CONRAC Automated People Mover: Potential Industry Trends or Just Local Preferences?

The proposed APM serving the Consolidated Rental Agency Complex (CONRAC) at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport may be an indicator of potential trends in the APM industry. This 1.4 mile (2.3 kilometer), three-station system links a planned remote rental car facility with the passenger terminal. The unique aspects of the project include: (1) Joint development among various public and private entities by having a mid-route station serving a convention center and hotels; (2) a full turnkey DBOM (except stations) procurement strategy (guideway, Maintenance and Storage Facility (M&SF), and operating system) that differs from most recent airport APM procurements; (3) a procurement method aimed at increasing competition among fixed facility contractors by restricting suppliers from exclusivity with civil/structural contractors; (4) an aggressive three-year construction schedule with some challenging right-of-way conditions that will likely require fast-track construction strategies; (5) an alignment that allows more than just "traditional" rubber-tire APM technologies to increase Operating System competition; and (6) provisions for baggage carts on the trains considered throughout design. The paper identifies which elements are potential trends for future projects in North America rather than just local preferences and assesses the outcome to date of each element. The paper concludes with a list of questions that owners should consider at the onset of planning, design, and procurement activities.