Narrative:

The two bridges on the south ramp in iah are named differently from what the iah ground and flight crews refer to them. Initially it was confusing because one bridge is named sd ramp bridge and the other is named something else. Recommend that a common name be applied to both bridges (like marriott or tower) and then designate one as north and one bridge as south. Thus, taxi from east terminal, 'sd to tower south bridge to spot 1.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: an additional bridge paralleling the old one was completed about a year ago. One is 'south ramp bridge.' the other is 'taxiway sd bridge.' the problem is that the ground controllers and pilots use other descriptive terms trying to clarify clearances. This results in congested frequencies that are already taxed to the limit during peak times. Since a marriot hotel is conspicuously located near the bridges using that term with the addition of north and south would make it clear which route was intended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO PARALLEL BRIDGES LEAVING THE S RAMP AT IAH HAVE NAMES THAT APPEAR TO CAUSE CONFUSION AND INCREASE FREQ CONGESTION. A COMMON NAME IS SUGGESTED.

Narrative: THE TWO BRIDGES ON THE S RAMP IN IAH ARE NAMED DIFFERENTLY FROM WHAT THE IAH GND AND FLT CREWS REFER TO THEM. INITIALLY IT WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE ONE BRIDGE IS NAMED SD RAMP BRIDGE AND THE OTHER IS NAMED SOMETHING ELSE. RECOMMEND THAT A COMMON NAME BE APPLIED TO BOTH BRIDGES (LIKE MARRIOTT OR TWR) AND THEN DESIGNATE ONE AS N AND ONE BRIDGE AS S. THUS, TAXI FROM E TERMINAL, 'SD TO TWR S BRIDGE TO SPOT 1.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AN ADDITIONAL BRIDGE PARALLELING THE OLD ONE WAS COMPLETED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. ONE IS 'S RAMP BRIDGE.' THE OTHER IS 'TXWY SD BRIDGE.' THE PROB IS THAT THE GND CTLRS AND PLTS USE OTHER DESCRIPTIVE TERMS TRYING TO CLARIFY CLEARANCES. THIS RESULTS IN CONGESTED FREQUENCIES THAT ARE ALREADY TAXED TO THE LIMIT DURING PEAK TIMES. SINCE A MARRIOT HOTEL IS CONSPICUOUSLY LOCATED NEAR THE BRIDGES USING THAT TERM WITH THE ADDITION OF N AND S WOULD MAKE IT CLEAR WHICH RTE WAS INTENDED.

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.