TRB Pubsindex
Text Size:
x

« Prev Next »

Return to Results | New Search

Bookmark and Share

Title:

MASS TRANSIT TO AIRPORTS-AN OVERVIEW

Accession Number:

00241455

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

THE CURRENT AIRPORT PROBLEMS ARE A COMBINATION OF INTERRELATED PROBLEMS OF WHICH GETTING PEOPLE AND FREIGHT TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT IS ONLY ONE FACET. GROUND ACCESS TIMES TO AIRPORT FACILITIES HAVE NOT DECREASED AT THE SAME RATE AT WHICH JET AIRCRAFT HAVE REDUCED FLIGHT TIMES. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A GROWING DISPARITY BETWEEN THE TIME NECESSARY TO MAKE THE AIR FLIGHT AND THE TOTAL TIME NECESSARY FOR THE TRIP. IN ADDITION, CURRENT HIGHWAY CAPACITY TO AIRPORTS WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET FORECAST GROWTH IN AIRPORT USAGE. WHILE IMPROVED TICKETING AND BAGGAGE HANDLING AND IMPROVED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PROCEDURES MAY IMPROVE THE TERMINAL DELAY AND CONGESTION PROBLEMS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ATTACK THE THE AIRPORT ACCESS PROBLEM. CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND COSTS RESULTING FROM IMPROVED PASSENGER PROCESSING PROCEDURES ARE MINIMAL IN COMPARISON TO REQUIRED EXPENDITURES TO IMPROVE THE GROUND ACCESS TO THE AIRPORT. IN ADDITION, THE COST OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE RECOUPED THROUGH DIRECT CHARGES TO THE AIR TRAVELER, THE AIRLINES, AND OTHER USERS OF THE AIRPORTS. BY COMPARISON, THE REQUIRED HIGHWAY INVESTMENTS NECESSARY TO ADEQUATELY HANDLE FORECAST PEAK-HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ARE EXTREMELY HIGH AND MAY RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL DISRUPTION AND RELOCATION IN URBAN AREAS. ALTHOUGH AIRPORTS ARE LARGE GENERATORS OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, THEY DO NOT BEAR A HIGH ENOUGH CONTINUOUS VOLUME OF TRAFFIC TO AMORTIZE THE TERMENDOUS COST OF INVESTMENT OR TO OVERCOME THE GROWING PUBLIC RESISTANCE TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH CAPACITY ROAD SYSTEMS IN URBAN AREAS. IT IS BECOMING EVIDENT THAT IN MANY CASES IT WILL BE FINANCIALLY AND SOCIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DEVELOP ENOUGH FREEWAYS TO COPE WITH THE AIRPORT ACCESS PROBLEM OR SUFFICIENT PARKING SITES AT THE AIRPORT TO MEET THE FORECAST DEMAND FOR PRIVATE AUTOMOBILE PARKING. BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT COSTS AND LENGTH OF TIME REQUIRED TO DEVELOP FULLY OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS, THE SO-CALLED NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS ARE NOT FEASIBLE AS A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION. FOUR ALTERNATIVES THAT APPEAR TO BE FEASIBLE FOR EXISTING AIRPORTS OR THOSE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE (A) RAILROADS AND SUBHIGHWAYS USING SEPARATE RIGHTS-OF-WAY; (B) RAILROADS AND SUBWAYS USING COMMON RIGHTS-OF-WAY WITH OTHER RAIL TRAFFIC; (C) BUSES AND LIMOUSINES USING SEPARATE HIGHWAY RIGHTS-OF-WAY; AND (D) BUSES AND LIMOUSINES USING EXISTING HIGHWAYS AND CITY STREET SYSTEMS. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THESE ALTERNATIVES ARE EXAMINED. /AUTHOR/

Supplemental Notes:

Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Monograph Accession #:

00044065

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Cook, Kenneth E

Pagination:

pp 1-4

Publication Date:

1970

Serial:

Highway Research Record

Issue Number: 330
Publisher: Highway Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures (1)

Subject Areas:

Finance; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities; Transportation (General); Vehicles and Equipment

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Jun 22 1971 12:00AM

More Articles from this Serial Issue: