Going For the Gold: From Airport to City

The Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) is the largest airport in Asia and home to the largest airport terminal in the world – Terminal 3. Built for the Olympic Games and the 1,500 flights expected to arrive and depart in the three days before and after the games, Terminal 3 cost approximately $3.8 billion and extends 1.8 miles from end to end. At 14 million sq. ft., it took 50,000 workers four years to complete the terminal, which covers an area twice the size of the Pentagon.

Beijing expects its airport to accommodate more than five million people during the Olympic Games. But once they’ve landed and picked up their luggage, millions of additional cars on Beijing’s extremely congested streets and highways would bring the city to a halt. To accommodate all of these travelers, the city built a 12-mile light rail airport express line from BCIA to downtown Beijing. For about $3, passengers will arrive at their destination in 20 minutes. While the train only makes three stops, Chinese officials printed the route on the back of every fare card, installed video monitors in the rail cars, and provided real-time displays to help international travelers navigate their system.

As Chicago continues to build its case to host the 2016 Olympic Games – like Beijing, improvements include the ongoing modernization of O’Hare Airport and a proposed direct airport express train – the city has the opportunity to improve its transit infrastructure by providing quick and convenient options to move millions of visitors between our airports and downtown. As part of his Olympic tour in Beijing, Mayor Daley spent his first day in China riding the city’s state-of-the-art subway to get a better idea of how to improve Chicago’s transit system. While an infusion of capital money from forthcoming state and federal infrastructure bills would help move Chicago's airport express dream forward, a public-private partnership, such as the ones that built and operate the airport express services for London and Stockholm, is needed to make the dream a reality.

Photo: Anonymous

For additional information:

Beijing’s Huge New Airport Terminal – CNN Video
Beijing Subway System sees expansion ahead of the 2008 Games – Beijing 2008

NEWS

Local News

MPC in the News – “Everyone knows traffic in Chicagoland is bad and getting worse, but most people don't realize how much it costs them – and the region – every year. The Metropolitan Planning Council's (MPC) latest report, ‘Moving at the Speed of Congestion’, breaks down the cost of traffic jams in metropolitan Chicago to show the effect on people, businesses and counties.”

Mayor Richard Daley test rides Beijing’s new subway for inspiration – Chicago Tribune “His tour of a spanking-new subway line, one of four built since 2002 at a total cost of $7.7 billion, signaled just how badly he wants to polish Chicago’s transit system, with federal help, as part of its bid for the 2016 Summer Games.”

Elgin, other suburbs make a commitment to bike paths – Chicago Tribune “Municipalities throughout the Chicago area that are worried about rising gas prices, traffic and the environment also are getting serious about biking.”

City Council to vote on CTA’s plan to speed up Western Avenue buses – Chicago Tribune “Under the pilot plan proposed by the CTA, additional technology would be installed to allow 30 buses that run along the X49 Western Express route, which runs between 95^th Street and Berwyn Avenue, to send a signal requesting that a green light be extended or a red light changed.”

SouthWest Service Line could add Saturday transit from city to Will County by February – Chicago Tribune “Metra trains could be running Saturdays on the SouthWest Service Line by early next year, providing a long-awaited commuting option for thousands of residents in Chicago and in booming Will County, officials said Monday.”

Plan to unsnarl Chicago rail hits snags in suburbs – NPR “Railroad companies say it takes a freight train about two days to travel from the West Coast to Chicago – but the same train sometimes needs another two days just to get through the city.”

Motorists to pay freight – Chicago Tribune “A federal report on Friday raised the specter of frustrated motorists facing lengthy delays at 15 rail crossings in a dozen communities, but concluded that passenger service would not be impaired if a railroad that winds through Chicago’s suburbs is sold.”

World News

Our bridges: To do nothing will cost more – Star Tribune Minneapolis “While Congress quickly rose to the challenge of helping to replace the 40-year-old span, it has yet to find the answers – or the money – to address a critical national infrastructure problem laid bare by the disaster.”

Annual savings from riding Metro instead of driving: $8,400 – Seattle Times “A typical King County transit user can save up to $8,400 a year by leaving the car at home and riding a Metro Transit bus, according to a national survey released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Funds for highways plummet as drivers cut gasoline use – Wall Street Journal “An unprecedented cutback in driving is slashing the funds available to rebuild the nation’s aging highway system and expand mass-transit options, underscoring the economic impact of high gasoline prices.”

Many families limiting themselves to a single car – New York Times “Motivated by the declining economy, rising gas prices and a concern for the environment, families like the Rogerses say they are starting to rethink the need to have more than one car.”

State of the City – Wall Street Journal “People who embraced the suburbs’ larger homes and two-car lifestyles are being upended by soaring fuel costs, while cities grapple with renewed demand for mass-transit options.”

The changing commute- demand for rides soars – New York Times “In areas not well served by mass transit, demand for car pools, van pools, shuttles and park-and-ride lots has soared and is still building, according to transportation agencies that provide the services.”

Pay-as-you-drive auto insurance: a simple way to reduce driving-related harms and increase equity – Brookings “Drivers who are similar in other respects – age, gender, location, driving safety record – pay nearly the same premiums if they drive five thousand or fifty thousand miles a year. Just as an all-you-can-eat restaurant encourages more eating, all-can-drive insurance pricing encourages more driving.”

Renters go downtown to save on gas, commuting – Associated Press “Nationwide, rents near job centers and mass transit are rising faster than other areas according to New York-based real estate research firm Reis Inc.”

Resources

Moving at the Speed of Congestion – Metropolitan Planning Council
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Canadian National Railway Company Acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company – U.S. Surface Board Transportation Board

Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Michael McLaughlin, Regional Policy and Transportation Director, at mmclaughlin@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6022.