AIRPORT CURBSIDE PLANNING AND DESIGN

A method of estimating airport curbside demand and procedures for adjusting this demand for various service levels and operating conditions are discussed. Data are presented describing the effects of passenger and vehicular activity at the airport curb areas. Operational problems that typically occur at an airport curb are discussed. Factors influencing operational problems at the curb are addressed, as well as a means of determining curb frontage requirements, demands, and relating these to levels of service, based on observations at six major U.S. airports. This approach affords airport planners an opportunity to measure the degree of use of the curbside area and to correlate curbside requirements to the effective length of curb. Volumes of originating and terminating passengers were found to be of prime importance in forecasting demand as contrasted to total enplanements and deplanements. The enforcement level of parking regulations and corresponding vehicle dwell time was found to strongly influence curbside capacity. Design considerations such as roadway and sidewalk widths that affect the efficiency of the curb are presented, and criteria are recommended. (Authors)