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of airport traffic which must be served within the first segment. They are also responsible for promoting the development of facilities to serve that demand. Re- gional and Local planning bodies are relied upon to bring together the general needs of urban transporta- tion and the specialized needs of airports by the de- velopment of comprehensive transportation plans for metropolitan or regional areas as a whole. At the Federal level the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development provide national inputs through programs such as the Federal Highway Grants -in -Aid Program, Urban Transportation Planning Funds, and High Speed Ground Demonstration Projects. Thus, with this di- versification of responsibility, careful coordination is required if the first segment of airport access problem is to be effectively resolved. The second segment of airport access, from the air- port boundary to terminal building unloading curbs, is primarily the responsibility of airport management. They plan and construct the second segment of access, although they are often assisted by the airlines in this effort. Airport sponsors must take special care in planning on -airport access to insure that it is com- patible with off -airport ground transportation plans and with ultimate terminal area development. The third segment of airport access, from unloading curbs through terminals to aircraft, is a problem of terminal building design and is discussed in detail in Chapter 9. Segments 1 and 2 must be compatible with terminal building design and with the plans of airlines for the handling of passengers and baggage. Therefore, it is essential that the planning of all seg- ments of airport access be coordinated with the major users of the airport. 75. The Peak Hour Problem. The airport ac- cess problem originates in part from the fact that airport travel tends to peak in the same morning and afternoon periods as does general urban and suburban travel. The first segment of access traffic is made up of general urban travelers, and airport passengers, visitors and employees. General urban travelers drop out after the first segment leaving only the airport traffic in the access system. Tables 6 and 7 indicate the relevant proportions of passengers, visitors, and employees found in the airport access system at se- lected cities. Because most visitors ride in the same vehicle with passengers during access, they do not add to the peaking problem except for congestion within the terminal building. Employees do, however, since they ride in separate vehicles. The peaking of 58 passengers and employees usually has two pronounced humps. Airport access facilities are designed on the basis of typical peak hour traffic. At some of the busiest airports congestion rises in the morning, re- mains almost constant throughout the day, and does not taper off until mid -evening. This steady flow of traffic can be a help in promoting airport access fa- cilities since a constant demand provides justification of improvements from a cost benefit standpoint. 76. Rapid Transit. Rapid transit has been pro- posed to relieve access problems to many of the most congested airports. A demonstration project for a tracked air cushion vehicle system to serve Los Angeles International Airport is planned through a grant by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration. A subway stop is being planned at Washington National Airport for Washington, D.C.'s new rapid transit sys- tem. Chicago and New York are studying rapid transit possibilities to their airports. The rapid transit concept is being incorporated in the design of many new airports which will be located long distances from city centers. At the present time the rapid rail line from the city of Cleveland to Cleveland Hopkins International Air- port is the only airport rapid transit system operating in the United States. It was constructed as an exten- sion to Cleveland's existing subway system. In con- junction with the existing access highway system it is proving to be successful as a quick and practical air- port access mode. Cleveland's airport rapid transit should be studied, along with plans for new systems, in selecting access modes to airports. Means of improving baggage handling and reducing the numbers of enroute stops should be fully explored, and careful analysis should be made of the relationship between access highway and rapid transit demand to keep access modes in balance. 77. Priority of Airport Access in Metropoli- tan Transportation Planning. Although it plays an important role in air transportation, airport access is an integral part of the metropolitan area transpor- tation network. Regional, metropolitan, and Iorvl transportation plans are deficient if they do not include linkage to the airport. The priority of completing segments of the metropolitan system linking the airport should recognize the airport's (and its environs) eco- nomic value to the community. In this way, the airport is treated as one of many major traffic gen- erators in a metropolitan area and can be compared on an equal basis with other large activity centers. • •