With rare access into the control tower of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, a look at how America’s air transportation system – once a source of national pride – has become a frustrating example of the country’s struggling infrastructure. In the fourth segment of a five part series on infrastructure in the U.S., NewsHour Senior Correspondent Ray Suarez reports with Blueprint America on the crowded skies above.
America’s 2008 air transportation needs are currently met with 1980s technology, resulting in all too familiar gridlock both on the ground and in the skies. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that air traffic will double in the next two decades. But even before rising fuel prices hammered airlines and their margins, the infrastructure that our airlines is built on – runways, flight paths and air traffic control technology – was already inadequate, outmoded and unable to grow its capacity. A planned upgrade announced in 2004 will not be completed until at least 2020 – at a cost of more than $20 billion.
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09/24/2008 :: 12:12:13 PM
bob previdi Says:
In the 8 largest northeast USA airports we could eliminate 15% of the flights that travel just between these airports. This could relieve congestion, reduce GHG emmissions and help by us buy time until we decide what the next major transporation enhancement is. The problem with this kind of thinking is that nobody in the federal government or at the state levels is thinking about shrinking flights in favor of increasing Amtrak service. That is far and away out of the scope of work charged to the FAA or any airport affiliated organziaton.
I estimate that if we tried to reduce the amount of flights between the 8 northeast airports by half – we would have to double the amount of Amtrak service. Are we ready? We need a greater political will, the kind of will that openned up the interstate highway system – but in this case we need to find ways to reduce airport and highway congestion and figure out ways to increase rail. What kind of rail can be debated but some kind of land based vehicles that will pollute less and move more people.