APettyJ t1_j99qhz7 wrote on February 20, 2023 at 9:25 AM

Reply to comment by ACY0422 in Why does cell phone lot exist at airport by LP788

It is not almost the same time to get to the terminals from the lot as the Wawa. The points about the bathrooms and snacks is true, but the road from the cell phone lot empties onto the arrivals road almost at the start of the pickup area. It's almost as close as parking on the shoulder of the road as it approaches the pickup area. The lot even has some vending machines in it for snacks now. The main issue with the lot is vehicles leaving it can get caught in a jam caused by ride-share, taxis and other commercial drivers entering the road for them to make pickups. The road needs better signage so that non-commercial vehicles don't sit in the line, having to be directed away once they reach the gatehouse controlling the road, which slows down the the throughput and causes the traffic jam.

ACY0422 t1_j9b2bxy wrote on February 20, 2023 at 4:55 PM

I worked at the airport a long time ago. I never felt comfortable in the cell phone lot. I worry about security as it is isolated place for a robbery. I don't like the traffic leaving it. I actually usually try to avoid the Arrival's road and have the person I am picking up meet me on the departures road. From the Wawa when the person I am picking up makes it to bag claim I leave Wawa and kill time circling International Plaza. I just don't like the cell phone lot.

Bathrooms and concessions for food trucks were suggested but shot down by airport management.

But I agree with OP something needs to be done about parking on I95 ramps.

APettyJ t1_j9b57kj wrote on February 20, 2023 at 5:14 PM

If you are referring to the lot on Bartram, that's not the lot anymore. The new lot is entered off of the car rental road, same road used to access the Marriott as well, and empties out further back up the road at the split for the car rental road and road to arrivals and baggage claim. Yeah, the old lot, which was fairly close to the Wawa, and also for a time served as the lot for Black car/limos and briefly for ride-share cars, wasn't as well lit and also not as populated. The new road is squarely on airport property and is more well lit and "secure feeling".

ACY0422 t1_j9cum1j wrote on February 21, 2023 at 12:02 AM

I used it a few times. Was there when it was built. I never felt good parked there. I only go to the airport a couple times a year. The lot on Bartram was not that great.

I still think that airports could develop cell phone lots to generate revenue with concession sales and make it more attractive and better enforce traffic laws on the ramps. But I think with all the retirements that the airport police is understaffed.