About the Study

With projected growth in business and recreational travel, as well as with growth in the shipment of air cargo, Bay Area airports may face capacity issues in the future, possibly around 2020. 

Current forecasts estimate that by 2035:

  • Bay Area air passengers will increase by 67%;
  • Air cargo would increase 92%; and
  • Business jet activity would increase by 56%.

The Regional Airport Study is exploring a number of different scenarios that can serve future traffic demand at the Bay Area airports, including spreading more service to Oakland and San Jose Airports, expanding airline serve to alternate airports, accommodating some air passengers on  High Speed Rail, deploying new Air Traffic Control technologies, and putting controls on flights so runways can operate efficiently. The Study will be completed in the early part of 2011.

Goals

The Regional Airport Study will be guided by the following goals in order to address user needs, provide support for the Bay Area economy, and address impacts from airport activity on the environment and on people who live near airports.

  • Healthy Economy
  • Reliable Runways
  • Good Passenger Service
  • Convenient Airports
  • Climate Protection
  • Clean Air
  • Livable Communities