Atlanta's Second Airport: Necessary Expansion Or Wasteful Project?

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is often the world's busiest airport, which can lead to long lines and flight delays. The idea of building a second airport has been studied and debated for decades, with the Federal Aviation Administration identifying Atlanta as one of the cities that might need another airport by 2025. However, there are concerns about the cost and economic viability of a second airport, as well as opposition from nearby counties and airlines like Delta. Some suggest that improving public transportation and regional rail could be a more effective solution to reduce congestion at the airport.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the busiest in the world, leading to long lines and delays

Atlantans have been discussing the need for a second airport for decades. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is often the world's busiest airport, which can lead to long lines at security checkpoints and flight delays.

In 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a report identifying the need for Atlanta to increase its airport capacity by 2025. The report stated that Atlanta was among the cities that might need another commercial airport. The FAA Administrator, Marion Blakey, wrote:

> "We may need to add as many as four more in the next 20 or 30 years. Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Diego are among the likely candidates."

Despite this, in 2015, a follow-up report made no mention of a second commercial airport, instead attributing the "significant congestion" at Hartsfield-Jackson to "demand growth" and projecting that "delays at ATL are [set to] continue through 2020."

In the same year, Hartsfield-Jackson unveiled its 20-year Master Expansion Plan, which aims to cover the air travel capacity needs in Atlanta through 2035. The plan includes additional gates, a sixth runway, new concourses, and more parking lots. However, some argue that this expansion will not be enough to meet the growing demand for air travel in the Atlanta area.

One of the main challenges in building a second airport in Atlanta is finding a suitable location. In 2011, the city of Atlanta studied eight possible locations and concluded that none of them would bring the right benefits for the cost. Some of the sites considered included Paulding County, Cobb County Airport, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, and Northeast Georgia Regional Airport. While these sites had potential in terms of market accessibility and development costs, they also presented issues such as high development costs, problematic airspace, and environmental concerns.

Another challenge is the cost of constructing a new airport, which would be expensive and could be seen as an economic failure, according to Delta Air Lines. Additionally, the city of Atlanta's contract with Delta states that the city "does not currently plan to and will not operate or own" a second commercial airport in the area.

Despite these challenges, the idea of a second airport in Atlanta remains a topic of discussion among city officials and residents. Some argue that a second airport would help alleviate the congestion and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson, while others suggest that improving public transportation and regional rail services could be a more effective solution.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified Atlanta as needing additional airport capacity by 2025

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is often the world's busiest airport, which can lead to long lines and flight delays. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified Atlanta as needing additional airport capacity by 2025. The FAA's 2007 report, Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System, 2007–2025, stated that Atlanta may need to add another airport in the next 20 to 30 years.

The idea of a second airport in Atlanta has been studied and debated for decades. In 2011, the FAA, the City of Atlanta, and a consulting team concluded that Dobbins Air Reserve Base was the best site from a market potential and development cost perspective, but the airspace and environmental aspects were problematic. The second-best site was Cobb County Airport, but high development costs made this prohibitive.

In 2014, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport unveiled a 20-year Master Expansion Plan to cover air travel capacity needs in Atlanta through 2035. The plan includes additional gates, a sixth runway, new concourses, and additional parking lots. However, some have questioned whether this will be enough to meet the growing demand for air travel in the Atlanta area.

There are several options for creating an additional commercial airport in the Atlanta metropolitan area. One option is to expand an existing general aviation airport, such as the Paulding County Regional Airport, which is located on land purchased by the City of Atlanta in anticipation of a second airport. Another option is to convert an air force base, such as the Dobbins Air Reserve Base, which was originally intended as a second civilian airport. A third option is to build a new airport on a greenfield site, such as the Dawson Forest City of Atlanta Tract, which is owned by the City of Atlanta and has been proposed for use as a major reservoir for the city's water system.

While a second airport in Atlanta could help to alleviate congestion and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson, there are also several challenges and considerations. The cost of building and operating a second airport would be significant, and it could face opposition from local residents and Delta Air Lines, which operates its primary hub at Hartsfield-Jackson. Additionally, improving public transportation and regional rail could help reduce the need for a second airport by making it easier for passengers to get to Hartsfield-Jackson from the north side of Atlanta and other nearby cities.

A second airport could be created by expanding an existing airport, converting an air force base, or building on a greenfield site

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports, handling more than 100 million passengers annually between 1989 and 2020. In 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the airport and the Atlanta metropolitan area as needing additional capacity by 2025.

Expanding an Existing Airport

In 2011, the FAA, the City of Atlanta, and a consulting team completed the Atlanta Metropolitan Aviation Capacity Study, Phase II, which concluded that the best site for a second airport would be Dobbins Air Reserve Base from a market potential and development cost perspective. However, the airspace and environmental aspects posed problems. The second-best option was Cobb County Airport due to its accessibility, but high development costs made this prohibitive.

Another option for expansion is the Northeast Georgia Regional Airport, which is extending an existing runway to 7,000 feet and has adjacent land for further expansion.

Converting an Air Force Base

Dobbins Air Reserve Base, located just northwest of Atlanta, was originally intended to be a second civilian airport before World War II. However, it would only be available if a future Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure commission decided to close the base, and as of 2015, no additional BRAC closures were planned.

Building on a Greenfield Site

In 1975, the City of Atlanta purchased 10,165 acres of land west of the city in Paulding County, anticipating the development of a second airport. In 2007, Paulding County purchased 162 acres of this property to build the Paulding County Regional Airport, which opened in 2009. Atlanta's second commercial airport could still be built on the remaining property, but the area is unserved by rapid transit or freeways.

Another potential greenfield site is the Dawson Forest City of Atlanta Tract, located southwest of Dawsonville, Georgia. This site was purchased in 1972 and was previously the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory. However, a small area of the property was found to have residual nuclear radiation, and various groups are lobbying for the creek on the property to be designated as a scenic river. The forest has also been proposed as a major reservoir for the city of Atlanta's water system.

The city of Atlanta owns land in Dawson County that could potentially accommodate another airport

The city of Atlanta does indeed own land in Dawson County, Georgia, that could potentially accommodate another airport. The "City of Atlanta" tract, as it is known, covers 10,130 acres of land located southwest of Dawsonville, Georgia. The city purchased this land in 1972 from Lockheed, and it was previously the site of the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory (GNAL).

The tract is located approximately 10 miles from the end of limited access on State Route 400 north of Cumming, Georgia. An area of 3 acres previously occupied by GNAL was restricted following testing in 1978 that found residual nuclear radiation from the experiments performed there. Subsequent studies in 1991 and 1997 found radiation levels to be at or slightly above normal background levels.

The property is currently managed by the Georgia Forestry Commission, with a trail system open to the public. It also encompasses Amicalola Creek, which various groups are lobbying to be designated as a scenic river. Additionally, the forest has been proposed for use as a major reservoir for the city of Atlanta's water system.

In 2011, the city of Atlanta studied eight possible locations for a second airport, including the Dawson Forest site. However, it was concluded that none of the sites, including Paulding County and Dobbins Air Reserve Base, would bring the right benefit for the cost. The city's contract with Delta states that it "does not currently plan to and will not operate or own" a second commercial airport in the area.

Despite this, the idea of a second airport in Atlanta has been studied and debated for decades, and the city's existing airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, often experiences long lines and flight delays due to its high volume of traffic. As the city and the region continue to grow, the need for additional airport capacity may become more pressing, and the Dawson Forest site could potentially be reconsidered as a possible location for expansion.

However, the cost of building a new airport may be too high, and it could be an economic failure, according to Delta Air Lines

The idea of building a second airport in Atlanta has been studied and debated for decades. While some argue that a second airport would help alleviate the congestion and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, there are also concerns about the high costs and potential economic failure of such a project.

According to Delta Air Lines, one of the main operators at Hartsfield-Jackson, building a second airport in Atlanta would be too expensive and could result in an economic failure. These concerns are not unfounded, as the construction of a new airport would require significant capital investment, and there is no guarantee that it would be able to generate enough revenue to cover its costs.

In 2011, a study was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, the City of Atlanta, and a consulting team to evaluate potential sites for a second airport. The study concluded that the best site from a market potential and development cost perspective was Dobbins Air Reserve Base, but the airspace and environmental aspects were problematic. The second-best site was Cobb County Airport, but the high development costs made it prohibitive.

Additionally, the city of Atlanta already has a 20-year master plan in place to handle future demand at Hartsfield-Jackson, which includes the addition of new gates, a sixth runway, new concourses, and additional parking lots. This plan is expected to adequately cover the air travel capacity needs in the Atlanta area through 2035.

Furthermore, building a second airport could potentially face opposition from residents in the surrounding areas, as has been the case in previous discussions about possible locations. There are also concerns about the impact on Delta Air Lines, which has a primary hub at Hartsfield-Jackson. A second airport could reduce the number of connections and affect their operations.

While the idea of a second airport in Atlanta has been considered, the high costs and potential economic risks are significant factors that need to be carefully evaluated. It is important to ensure that any decision made is in the best interests of the city and its residents, both in terms of addressing congestion and delays at the existing airport and from an economic perspective.

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