PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA                   Item No.        5h 
ACTION ITEM                   Date of Meeting   December 11, 2012 

DATE:     December 3, 2012 
TO:        Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Mike Ehl, Director, Airport Operations 
George England, Program Leader, Aviation Project Management 
SUBJECT:  Long-Term Cell Phone Lot Design, C800324 

Amount of This Request:   $408,000            Source of Funds: Airport Development 
Fund 
Est. Total Project Cost:     $1,768,000           Est. Jobs Created: N/A 
Est. State and Local Taxes: $96,000 
ACTION REQUESTED: 
Request Commission authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to proceed with design of the
Long-Term Cell Phone Lot project in the amount of $408,000. The total project cost is
$1,768,000. 
SYNOPSIS: 
The Airport's existing cell phone waiting lot will be displaced by construction of new hardstand
facilities at its existing location. T herefore, a new cell phone lot is proposed at a location on the
south side of S. 170th St. and east of the Airport expressway (Attachment A). A cell phone lot is
needed to provide a service to airline travelers by creating a safe and convenient parking area for
vehicles waiting to pick-up passengers rather than using curbside parking or parking on roadway
shoulders. The proposed location for the new cell phone lot requires a traffic roundabout to be
constructed as part of the project to facilitate ingress and egress from the new lot and to mitigate
traffic impacts along S. 170th St., the majority of which is right-of-way of the City of SeaTac.
This project was included in the 2013  2017 capital budget and plan of finance. The total
project budget is estimated at $1,768,000. This request is for $408,000 for design and associated
project management and other soft costs. Design will be performed by Port Engineering staff 
and supplemented by a traffic engineering consultant to provide any necessary traffic flow
analysis. Staff will return to Commission at a later date for construction authorization.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 2 of 7 
BACKGROUND: 
There is a shortage of hardstand space for parking aircraft that remain overnight at the Airport. 
To increase remain-overnight (RON) space, the vacant United States Postal Service Air Mail
Center (AMC) and associated parking lot is being demolished and reconstructed for hardstands. 
Currently the Airport's cell phone waiting lot uses a portion of the parking lot in front of and
adjacent to the AMC and must be replaced.
Aviation Operations has determined that a new 150-space replacement cell phone waiting lot
should be created at the site of the former Radisson Hotel, located immediately south of S. 170th 
St. (see Attachment A for the locations of the existing and proposed cell phone lots). The
proposed project would demolish the existing asphalt pavement; re-grade, re-pave, and stripe the
lot; install new lighting; and revise the stormwater system. Access revisions to S. 170th St.
would also be required. A roundabout at the terminus of the ramp from the southbound North
Airport Expressway (NAE) to S. 170th St. would be constructed to manage traffic along S. 170th 
St. 
Over the past decade, two significant developments led airports to develop cell phone waiting
lots: the 9/11 events and the ubiquity of cellular phones. Following 9/11, a shift in air traveler
behavior occurred throughout the United States. Primarily due to new checkpoint restrictions,
passengers and their parties were no longer inclined to meet in the terminal and utilize short-term
parking. With the aid of cellular phones, families can contact their arriving parties as they
debark the aircraft and time their trip accordingly. The result is an increased demand for
curbside parking and curbside congestion, or at the very least, a location to wait for their arriving 
party. Without a cell phone lot, meeters and greeters either utilize curbside parking spaces or
innovate on the fly, often parking on the shoulders of the North Airport Expressway (NAE) or
local streets.
The Port acknowledged that freeway off-ramps, shoulders, and medians are not safe or legal 
areas to park vehicles and decided that a cell phone waiting lot is necssary. According to an 
Airports Council International 2011 report titled "Airport Parking Strategies in a Constrained
Environment," 58 out of the top 75 U.S. airports have cell phone waiting lots. 
Aviation Operations conducted a sensitivity test of cell phone lot demand to determine the
optimal number of stalls for the proposed new facility. The analysis included a 90% occupancy 
factor for planning purposes and incorporated data from an October 2011 survey of existing cell 
phone lot activity. The October 2011 survey determined the average lot demand was 143
vehicles per hour with an average dwell time of 18.2 minutes per vehicle. Applying a 37%
adjustment factor to the October volumes to approximate summer loads increases the average lot
demand to 195 vehicles per hour and the peak demand to 392 stalls per hour. Based on available
data, the proposed new facility provides 150 stalls to accommodate a peak demand of 450 stalls
per hour, providing the lot with the ability to accommodate a 13% growth in traffic before
modification.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 3 of 7 
The physical layout and location of the existing lot presents problems to the traveling public.
Wayfinding to the lot from the southbound NAE is confusing to some customers. The lot traffic
pattern has been modified for one-way flow to minimize conflicts, but signage and enforcement
continue to be a challenge. Since the lot was not intended to be a long-term facility and was
designed around existing facilities, an awkwardly shaped, inefficient parking area was created.
The new lot provides the Port an opportunity to design a purpose-built facility that is scalable for
future functionality, efficient, and convenient for customers. 
The project will be funded via the Airport Development Fund. However, staff is currently in
discussions with the City of SeaTac regarding the potential use of parking tax funds for the
project's main access revision (the proposed roundabout in the S. 170th Street right-of-way). Per
an interlocal agreement (ILA) between the Port and the City signed in February of 2006, 36.9%
of parking tax funds collected by the City over the 10-year term of the agreement are committed
to a negotiated list of Port priority transportation improvement projects. The ILA provides a
mechanism for amending the list of projects eligable for parking tax funds. The proposed
improvements to provide safe and efficient access to the cell phone lot and to mitigate impacts to
traffic on S. 170th Street are currently not included in the ILA. 
Staff will also pursue a sales tax exemption for certain work on the traffic roundabout under rules
and procedures established by the State. 
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION: 
The proposed project is justified based on the following reasons: 
A cell phone waiting lot is an expected Airport-provided service to travelers; 
Without a cell phone waiting lot, some pick-up vehicles will wait for extended periods at
the terminal curbside or along roadway shoulders resulting in congestion and safety
problems; 
The existing cell phone waiting lot will be eliminated by construction of new facilities; 
A cost effective site is available on the south side of S. 170th St. for a new cell phone lot; 
The traffic control roundabout will mitigate increased traffic along S. 170th St. caused by
the new cell phone lot. 
PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK AND SCHEDULE: 
Scope of Work: 
The new lot would be located at the site of the former Radisson Hotel parking lot. T he entrance
for the new lot would be located on the south side of S. 170th St., and vehicle ingress/egress
would be facilitated by a roundabout. T he lot will have the capacity for 150 vehicles. Project
work will include: 
Demolition of existing asphalt pavement 
Site grading, paving, and striping 
Installation of lot lighting 
Installation of stormwater system for the lot

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 4 of 7 
Construction of a roundabout to manage traffic along S. 170th St. 
Wireless antennas to support access to Port of Seattle wi-fi services 
Schedule: 
Design phase: December 2012  June 2013 
Construction phase: July 2013  March 2014 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: 
Budget/Authorization Summary:                      Capital         Expense     Total Project 
Original Budget                                    $1,452,000                $0        $1,452,000 
Budget increase                                       $316,000                $0         $316,000 
Revised budget                                    $1,768,000                $0       $1,768,000 
Previous Authorizations                                      $0                $0                $0 
Current request for authorization                        $408,000                 $0          $408,000 
Total Authorizations, including this request             $408,000                 $0          $408,000 
Remaining budget to be authorized                  $1,360,000                $0       $1,360,000 
Total Estimated Project Cost                        $1,768,000                $0        $1,768,000 
Project Cost Breakdown:                            This Request          Total Project 
Construction                                                     $0            $1,148,000 
Construction Management                                    $0             $116,000 
Design                                                  $217,000             $217,000 
Project Management                                   $126,000             $126,000
Other Soft Costs                                            $65,000               $65,000 
State & Local Taxes (estimated)                                  $0               $96,000 
Total                                                        $408,000             $1,768,000 

Budget Status and Source of Funds: 
This project, CIP #C800324, was included in the 2013-2017 capital budget and plan of finance
as a business plan prospective project with a budget of $1,452,000. Upon completion of the
notebook, the budget was increased. The budget increase of $316,000 was transferred from the
Aeronautical Allowance, C800404. The funding source is the Airport Development Fund.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 5 of 7 
Financial Analysis and Summary: 
CIP Category                   Renewal / Enhancement 
Project Type                     Infrastructure Upgrades 
Risk adjusted discount rate       N/A 
Key risk factors                   Delays during the design, permitting, and construction
phase could cause the project completion date to extend
beyond the closing date of the existing cell phone lot,
thus there could be a period when no cell phone lot
facility is available to customers. 
Project cost for analysis           $1,768,000 
Business Unit (BU)               Roadway (costs split between aeronautical and nonaeronautical
business units) 
Effect on business performance   No revenue is generated by the existing cell phone lot
and no revenue will be generated by the proposed lot.
Approximately half of the costs of roadway projects are
charged to the airline rate base. 
IRR/NPV                   N/A 
CPE Impact                   Less than $0.01 in year 2014 
Lifecycle Cost and Savings: 
The project's lifecycle cost includes the initial capital cost plus future on-going operation and
maintenance costs estimated to be $24,000 per year (in year 2012 dollars). 
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: 
This project aligns with the Port's Century Agenda to meet the region's air transportation needs
at Sea-Tac Airport for the next 25 years.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: 
This project will provide the opportunity to apply sustainability principles, including: 
Low impact development stormwater management (infiltration bioswales and rain
gardens) 
Posting of "No Idling" signs for air quality 
Asphalt recycling 
Energy efficient site lighting 
BUSINESS PLAN OBJECTIVES: 
Approval for project design, and future approval for construction, will contribute to achievement
of the Airport's business plan strategy to become one of the top 10 customer service airports by
2015.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 6 of 7 
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE SUMMARY: 
The project supports economic development by investing in a new long-term cell phone parking
lot to serve the public's transportation needs at the Airport. Environmental sustainability
principles will be employed where practicable and consistent with Port policy. Also, procedures
set forth in the Port's new Small Contractors and Suppliers Program will be used when
applicable in the project contracting process in coordination with the Office of Social
Responsibility. 
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS: 
Alternative 1  Do nothing: Under this alternative the existing cell phone lot will be lost due to
installation of hard-stand as part of the RON work at the Airport. A replacement cell phone lot
would not be constructed. Pick-up vehicles for travelers would not have a convenient short-term
waiting location and increased congestion at the terminal curbside and illegal parking along
roadway shoulders is expected. This alternative is not recommended. 
Alternative 2  Cell phone lot at a different location: Staff investigated other potential sites for a
new cell phone lot, including the quick-turnaround area at the Rental Car Facility and along the
old northbound North Airport Expressway on-ramp. These locations are less desirable than the
proposed location due to more difficult access, higher infrastructure needs, higher costs, and
possible conflicts with future Airport facility plans. This alternative is not recommended. 
Alternative 3  Cell phone lot as proposed: Under this alternative a new cell phone waiting lot
would be constructed on the south side of S. 170th St. and a traffic control roundabout would be
constructed to facilitate ingress/egress at the lot. This is a cost-effective plan to replace the
existing cell phone lot and maintain customer service. This is the recommended alternative. 
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REQUEST: 
See Attachment A for locations of the existing cell phone lot and the proposed cell phone lot. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS: 
None

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
December 3, 2012 
Page 7 of 7 
Attachment A 
Existing and Proposed Cell Phone Waiting Lot Locations