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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located in Arlington, VA just across the Potomac River from the Nation's Capital. Built in 1941, the airport's original Terminal, now called Terminal A, is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1987, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority was formed to operate Washington National and Dulles International Airports which were built and owned by the federal government. In 1997, Terminal B/C, designed by Cesar Pelli, was opened with a new roadway and parking garages. The airport features an unequaled view of Washington D.C. and key monuments and quality shopping and dining establishments located before and after security. Reagan National is directly linked to the region's Metrorail system which is adjacent to Terminal B/C.
The Airport was originally designed with four runways: the main north-south runway at 6,855 feet; a northwest-southeast runway at 5,210 feet; a northeast-southwest runway at 4,892 feet; and an east-west runway at 4,100 feet.
Over the years, the runways have changed only slightly in length with one exception. The east-west runway was closed in 1956 to be used as a taxiway and for aircraft parking.
Today, the airfield contains three runways. Runway 1/19, the main north-south runway, is 6,869 feet. In the 1980's, overruns were added to each end of this runway. The other two runways are Runway 15/33 at 5,204 feet, and Runway 4/22 at 4,911 feet.
Parking Public parking is available for nearly 7,900 vehicles providing hourly, daily and economy options. Terminal A is served by an hourly lot and daily parking garage. Terminal B/C is served by hourly and daily parking garages. Courtesy shuttle buses are provided to and from all Terminals to the Economy Lot.
Taxicabs serving the Airport queue in a two-level 118,000 square foot structure designed to accommodate 500 vehicles. About 5,000 taxicabs are dispatched at the Airport every day. SuperShuttle, a shared-ride van service picks up passengers at their homes, businesses or hotels within the metro area and transports them to the airport. The Airport is also served by five car rental companies located on site.
When opened in 1941, the Airport facility was 115,000 square feet.
The first major expansion was completed in November 1950 when a 297-foot extension to the south end of the Main Terminal added 25,110 square feet of space.
Five years later, the 587 x 17 foot "south finger" was added, increasing the square footage by 9,979 square feet and also providing badly needed aircraft gates and loading positions.
More space for passengers and aircraft quickly became necessary as the annual number of passengers continued to grow. In October 1958, the North Terminal was opened, adding an additional 7,264 square feet of usable space. In 1961, the 772-foot long passageway between the Main and the North Terminals was enclosed. By the mid-1980's, the facility was crowded again and in need of modernization.
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