Access to Airports: Basic Policy Development Issues

A series of discussions and work sessions at an Engineering Foundation Research Conference on airport access considered policy issues and technologic requirements. Task 1 was directed to the identification of the significant policy issues from the view of six different interest groups: federal government, local governments, airport operators and air carriers, air transport users, urban transportation agencies, and metropolitan planning agencies. Task 2 was directed to the analysis of the technical problems from the view of four different concerns: technology, demand, conflict and compromise, and the most pressing policy issues. Research and data needs summarized in Task 3 included a wide variety of problems: more studies on traffic flow theory, investment criteria, estimating demand for airport access, and strategies for resolving conflicts. The summary includes the observation that a communication gap exists between technologists and the policy makers which has led to wasted resources and trial-and-error approach.