Narrative:

In accordance with 2.a of the instructions, the new dtw airport designation plan scheduled to east implemented on nov/xx/94, will at the very least, cause confusion to pilots and an unnecessary increase in workload to an already busy and complex flow of ground traffic to controllers. Even more importantly, at worst, these changes will likely cause or contribute to accidents and incidents, and will present a hazard to personnel and equipment. To meet national requirements, taxiway designators such as 'inner,' 'outer,' 'arc,' 'CAT,' and 'wolf' had to be eliminated. Both the FAA, concerned with uniformity at all national airports, and airport authorities, concerned with accidents/incidents attributed to poor signage and markings, have shown a desire to make dtw a safer place. However, this plan, if implemented will not accomplish this and will most likely cause additional safety problems. It is apparent that no controllers, and possibly no pilots, were consulted in the development of this plan. In general, the new layout lacks continuity and common sense. It does not correct known problem areas, in fact, may even make them worse. Existing taxiway designators have been moved to new txwys at other locations. Single designators for a single taxiway have become 2 or 3 different designators (for future examples all existing designators are in parentheses).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW ARPT TXWY DESIGNATORS CAUSES CTLR AND FLC CONFUSION.

Narrative: IN ACCORDANCE WITH 2.A OF THE INSTRUCTIONS, THE NEW DTW ARPT DESIGNATION PLAN SCHEDULED TO E IMPLEMENTED ON NOV/XX/94, WILL AT THE VERY LEAST, CAUSE CONFUSION TO PLTS AND AN UNNECESSARY INCREASE IN WORKLOAD TO AN ALREADY BUSY AND COMPLEX FLOW OF GND TFC TO CTLRS. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT WORST, THESE CHANGES WILL LIKELY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS, AND WILL PRESENT A HAZARD TO PERSONNEL AND EQUIP. TO MEET NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, TXWY DESIGNATORS SUCH AS 'INNER,' 'OUTER,' 'ARC,' 'CAT,' AND 'WOLF' HAD TO BE ELIMINATED. BOTH THE FAA, CONCERNED WITH UNIFORMITY AT ALL NATIONAL ARPTS, AND ARPT AUTHORITIES, CONCERNED WITH ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS ATTRIBUTED TO POOR SIGNAGE AND MARKINGS, HAVE SHOWN A DESIRE TO MAKE DTW A SAFER PLACE. HOWEVER, THIS PLAN, IF IMPLEMENTED WILL NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS AND WILL MOST LIKELY CAUSE ADDITIONAL SAFETY PROBS. IT IS APPARENT THAT NO CTLRS, AND POSSIBLY NO PLTS, WERE CONSULTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN. IN GENERAL, THE NEW LAYOUT LACKS CONTINUITY AND COMMON SENSE. IT DOES NOT CORRECT KNOWN PROB AREAS, IN FACT, MAY EVEN MAKE THEM WORSE. EXISTING TXWY DESIGNATORS HAVE BEEN MOVED TO NEW TXWYS AT OTHER LOCATIONS. SINGLE DESIGNATORS FOR A SINGLE TXWY HAVE BECOME 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT DESIGNATORS (FOR FUTURE EXAMPLES ALL EXISTING DESIGNATORS ARE IN PARENTHESES).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.