Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Fatigue; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Chart Or Publication; Airport
From our gate on the North side of the Terminal; we were given a taxi clearance to taxi to Runway 31C via Yankee; Papa; Golf; cross Runway 31R. We taxied via Yankee; entered Papa; and as we prepared to cross Runway 31R; the Controller said we had missed Papa but to continue to cross 31R and taxi via Golf. This was not true as we had entered Papa; as the Commercial Chart page and airport signage showed. The Controller made no further mention and we proceeded with no incident. The Commercial Chart page and airport signage is deceptive; and that taxi clearance is ambiguous and misleading; allowing for two different interpretations of the desired route. Once I had entered Papa; I was naturally looking to cross Runway 31R and continue via Golf; which is what I did. If one looks at the 10-9; the 'P' for Papa taxiway is placed on Papa Taxiway; but so close to the continuation of Yankee across Runway 31R that it isn't obvious that Papa ALSO continues another 100 FT and crosses Runway 31R. I would suggest redraw the Commercial Chart page and airport signage so that the 'P' for Papa Taxiway does not appear adjacent to where Taxiway Yankee veers right across 31R. I was so task-saturated by the events and requirements of the leg and previous leg (late; lack of crewmember; delay due to maintenance issue; weather; unexpected runway closure and circle to land to 13C (never done it before) on arrival; a difficult/pushy crewmember; lack of performance for only runway being used for departure; flight plan autoload not working; Dispatch not agreeing with performance assessment but later agreeing that the active 13C was inadequate; conferring with clearance to get the runway we needed (31C) without undue delay (originally 30 minutes but modified to no delay); station agent saying we had 3 minutes to push; and others; that I purposefully tried to super-focus so as to not miss anything. I think I succeeded; but I think a combination of fatigue and a misleading clearance and Commercial Chart page; made it appear as if I had not complied with the taxi clearance.
The MDW Commercial Airport Diagram and taxiway signage at the Taxiway P/Y Intersection are confusing and ambiguous. The charted P and Y should be placed further apart and the taxiway intersection signage positioned more accurately.