Librarians Beware Chicago O'Hare

In a few weeks many librarians will be flying from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Washington, DC for the American Library Association Annual Conference. Because there is construction in and around the terminals and the parking garage, they should allow extra time.Here is what I saw yesterday (June 5, 2007) when I went to pick up relatives in for my daughter Laura’s graduation.

• At noon, the main garage and valet parking were full.The entrance to the parking garage was blocked by barriers and a couple of police cars.
• Cars congested the arrivals drive. Many people stood by their cars. They were apparently watching for friends, family, etc. coming from the baggage claims areas.
• Signs directed drivers to park in remote parking lot E.
• Signs at remote parking lot E said that it was full. New signs directed drivers to remote parking lot G.
• Buses from remote parking lot G to remote parking lot E to catch the tram to the terminals were full. I did get on.
• From the tram I saw that the parking lot for the International Terminal was full.
• Terminal 2 there is a down escalator but no up escalator from the bridge level down to the departures level. (From the tram, you enter at the bridge level.) Any one going up has to take an elevator.
• The departures area of level 2 was full of people. Most were in lines backed to go through security to go to the gates. I unofficially heard that the lines were 30 minutes long.
• Most of the escalators from the departures level to the baggage claim level have been removed. I found stairs at one end of the building and an escalator at the other end. (I don’t remember if it was up or down.)
• Luggage began arriving at baggage claim 25 minutes after the plane reached the gate.
• There was a line to take the elevator up to the bridge level to catch the tram back to parking lot E to get the bus to parking lot G.
• The buses were loaded to parking lot G.

It will be a long summer at Chicago O’Hare.