LOCATION
Detroit, MI

CLIENT(S)
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Detroit’s automated people mover system is sized to meet future demand after SCJ staff conducted a cost/benefit analysis that determined it was best to build to full capacity now.

SCJ looked beyond the APM system itself and took into consideration the cost of housing it. They determined that using two larger vehicles was more beneficial than providing space for three smaller ones in the future, and they reduced costs even further through structural integration between the building and the APM system guideway.

The team also provided pedestrian planning services including moving walks, escalators, elevators, and the APM system. They consulted on all horizontal and vertical circulation elements, providing planning, design specifications, procurement of system components, and implementation consulting.

They also simulated passenger flow and pedestrian demand on both APM and vertical circulation and performed technology and systems alternatives analysis.

The team combined various passenger conveyance systems to examine how airports operate as a unit and integrated the specifications for all of them to reduce the cost of the systems as a whole. They also converted the complete system of specifications to the standard architectural building format, making it easier to organize contractor packages and interpret requirements.