the other domestic handling facilities. We feel they should be expanded. Senator SPONG. You mention the possibility of a prototype highspeed transit system to Dulles. Have you explored this with the Department of Transportation? Mr. FOSTER. At some time earlier, it has been discussed. We pointed out to them the right of way is a federally owned right of way and there is such a pressing need to improve airport access around the major airports in the country, possibly the Department would find they are in a unique position of doing some prototype work on development of systems that communities might be guided in development of comparable systems in attacking that kind of problem in this area. Senator SPONG. Mr. Foster, you said "at some earlier date." Have you made some specific suggestions to the Department of Transportation that they give some thought to the possibilities of this? If so, was it to the last administration, or to this one, and when was this done? Mr. FOSTER. It was during the period of the prior administration. It was not as to the type of system, but it was an effort to give guidance to community planners and airport planners that there was a unique opportunity to develop some sort of a system as a measure of public acceptance of such a system is very important. Senator SPONG. Is that a continuing suggestion to the Department of Transportation? Mr. FOSTER. Yes. Senator SPONG. You mention a study that had been made with regard to Dulles. Are the airlines undertaking any construction at Dulles at the present time? Mr. FOSTER. The recommendations that we are considering, let me say quickly, are confined to the terminal area. The public service aspect of the airport. Within the studies we are doing with the consultant, we are formulating recommendations which will be formally given to the FAA later, but as to those improvements that we are considering, there is nothing under construction to my knowledge at this time other than what some airline may make some miscellaneous improvement here and there. Senator SPONG. Have the airlines given any thought to constructing a midtown terminal to facilitate travel to Dulles? Mr. FOSTER. Yes; this has been secretly discussed. It is so related to some kind of public-accepted direct transportation system that they are sort of inherently together. If the system were developed, then you would have the need for stations. But to arbitrarily require people to go to some point in Rosslyn Circle, or some point where there may be a limitation of automobile parking, traffic problems, and others, we have not recommended this be done at this time. Senator SPONG. I want to ask you a few questions about National. Witnesses must think I brought you way out here to talk about National Airport, but I think the record requires this. Do the airlines recognize any maximum limit on the use of National Airport? Mr. FOSTER. Yes; we voluntarily agreed with the FAA on limitation of the number of flights for some time on a voluntary basis, which as of the first of the month will become a rigid rule. We also volunteered on the size and capacity of aircraft entering Washington National. We have for some time now. This, too, will no doubt continue, at least for the time being. Senator SPONG. With regard to the size of the aircraft, have the airlines any plans to use air buses or stretch 727's at National? Mr. FOSTER. We have hopes and ambitions. However, for purposes of planning and working with the Federal Aviation Agency, we have done our planning and our forecast on the basis that certainly for the foreseeable future that the limitations on numbers of flights, frequency per hour, and the size of aircraft will for the moment continue. As traffic grows at Washington National, we hope we are able to put higher capacity aircraft in as they come along, mostly within the series of the aircraft presently operating at Washington National. Senator SPONG. So you are not giving me an unqualified "yes" or unqualified "no." Mr. FOSTER. Well, we hope that as traffic grows, maybe some of the rules can be relaxed. We have voluntarily agreed with the FAA on the limitations. We have for some time on a voluntary basis. We hope the rule will be as so rigidly imposed on us it will be so rigidly imposed on general aviation and other users of the airport with their limitations. But we are agreeing and planning within the framework of the mandate given to us by the FAA as to the frequency and size of the aircraft. Senator SPONG. Do you know how much time was lost by the airlines using National last year through delays on the ground or in the air? Mr. FOSTER. No, sir, I do not have the arithmetic on this, I am sorry. One of the greatest influences on delays, particularly in bad weather, is not so much the delays because of weather at Washington National as they are weather at other points which preclude equipment getting in and out of Washington National. Senator SPONG. I was not speaking of weather; delays are caused by factors other than weather. Do you have access to that information at all? Mr. FOSTER. We will see if we can get the information. If we can get it, we would be pleased to submit it for the record, but I rather doubt we have the arithmetic. Senator SPONG. If you find you do have the arithmetic, we would like very much for you to provide it for the record. Mr. FOSTER. Very well. (Subsequent to the hearing the following letter was received.) Hon. WILLIAM B. SPONG, Jr., Washington, D.C. AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, DEAR SENATOR SPONG: During your recent hearings at Dulles Airport you asked how much time was lost by the airlines using Washington National Airport last year through delays on the ground or in the air. At the time the question was asked, Mr. Foster indicated that he would furnish this information for the record if it was available. Unfortunately such data is not available. You also asked about the Northwest and American Airlines construction of additional terminal space at Washington National, and whether Mr. Foster could furnish details concerning costs and how many passengers the facility will accommodate. In this regard I am enclosing this information for the record. Sincerely, J. L. ZORACK, Assistant to Vice President Federal Affairs. Senator SPONG. Northwest and American Airlines are now constructing additional terminal space at National. Can you give us some details on that, as far as costs, how many passengers the facility will accommodate? Mr. FOSTER. No, sir, I did not come prepared with the figures, but they are multimillion improvements, particularly American. I do not recall the total figures. Here, again, we would be pleased to submit them for the total record, if you care to have them. Senator SPONG. I appreciate that and, Mr. Foster, we thank you for your testimony, and we will look forward to this additional information. Mr. FOSTER. Fine. Thank you very much. AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION, June 18, 1969. Costs 1. American Airlines ticketing and passenger facilities- facilities $3, 200, 000 $6,500,000 5, 450, 000 2. Approximate Total Annual Passenger Traffic for American, Northwest and Trans World Airlines__ NOTE. The American Airlines facility has been completed; the Northwest/ Trans World Airlines facility is still under construction. Senator SPONG. It is now 10 of 11. We are going to have a recess for 10 minutes. I am going to resume promptly at 11 o'clock with the next witness. The next witness will be the Honorable Fred Babson. (Whereupon, there was a short recess.) Senator SPONG. The hearings will be in order, please. The next witness will be Hon. Fred Babson, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, among other things. Mr. Babson, we are delighted to have you here. STATEMENT OF FREDERICK A. BABSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY; ACCOMPANIED BY WARREN QUENSTEDT, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER Mr. BABSON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. It is my pleasure. I am Frederick A. Babson, for the record, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. I am also chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, in which a substantial portion of Dulles Airport is situated. I am here today at the invitation of the committee to testify as Chairman of the Transit Authority. Mr. Chairman, I am accompanied by the Deputy General Manager of the Transit Authority, Mr. Warren Quenstedt. We have been asked to appear today to discuss with you the question of improved public transportation to Dulles Airport, which was built to serve the Greater National Capital region, and to review the past efforts and present proposals of the Transit Authority and its predecessor agency as they relate to Dulles. In the National Čapital Transportation Act of 1960, which created the National Capital Transportation Agency, Loudoun County was included in the National Capital region as defined for purposes of the activities of NCTA. From this outset, NCTA was aware of the public interest questions concerning the need for transportation to Dulles from the central city as activities at Dulles inevitably would grow. In its report to the President in 1962, NCTA stated that service to Dulles was a matter to be studied by the agency and commended: * the Agency's studies of rapid transit service to the Dulles Airport indicates that such service may well be desirable, but that the logical route for it will be an extension of the rapid transit line proposed by the Agency to serve the most heavily populated area of Arlington and Fairfax. Furthermore, if rail service is to be provided the airport passenger, it must carry him all the way downtown, and not force him to transfer to a bus or taxi several miles short of downtown * * In its specific recommendations, the agency proposed an express bus operation along the Dulles access highway to its junction to the rail transit line, running between Washington and the city of Fairfax, at which point a transfer to rail would be required. The Washington Metropolitan Area transit zone, which is the area of interest to the Authority, was created by and described in the Interstate Compact between Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, consented to by Congress in 1966. This concept also created the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The zone does not include Loudoun County. Consequently, while we may plan operations with Dulles as an objective, we may not carry out our plans beyond the limits of Fairfax County. Although Dulles is located in both Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, the passenger terminal is entirely within Loudoun, and we cannot build or provide service to the terminal under existing law. We have, however, studied the possibility of establishing rail transit in the median strip of Dulles access road, and find the median strip wide enough for two sets of tracks. Curvatures and grades will permit satisfactory rail operations between the airport and the metroline planned for the median of Interstate Route 66. Thus, with the creation. of a rail operation along the access road, service between Dulles and all points in the National Capital region could be developed. The adopted regional system of the Transit Authority does not provide for construction of rail transit to Dulles. However, it does indicate a Dulles line in the future. The Authority's line to Fairfax City will have been constructed to a point beyond intersection of the Dulles Airport road sometime before the end of 1976, assuming our present timetable. 27-254-70-pt. 1- 13 Our order of magnitude of estimates of the cost of a line to Dulles, including a station at the airport and another between the airport and the junction with the I-66 line, is in the range of $75 million. If service to Dulles should be provided by special trains devoted exclusively to air travelers, it would very likely become necessary to provide a downtown terminal. The cost of such a terminal is not included within the figure mentioned, nor is there provision for appropriate participation in the capital cost of Authority facilities which might be used by such airport trains between the access road and any downtown terminal. Through the years, both NCTA and now WMATA have maintained liaison with the Federal Aviation Agency and its successor, the Federal Aviation Administration. Personnel of the FAA and planners of the Authority have exchanged views on numerous occasions concerning the possible need for and nature of transit service to air travelers using the terminals in this region. We have watched carefully, and with much interest, the development of rail rapid transit to Hopkins Airport at Cleveland. From early reports, it appears to be successful. We are aware of the airport service provided in Brussels, Belgium, and that which exists in Tokyo. We have kept abreast of unsuccessful efforts to provide high-speed ground transportation to the Los Angeles International Airport. In fact, wherever in the world there are transit developments of any sort, not alone those related to service to airport facilities, our Authority is quick to look at them and to access them for possible application here. What I have attempted here, Mr. Chairman, is a general presentation concerning rail transit service to Dulles. A host of details remain to be planned and worked out; hundreds of problems must be faced and solved; but these are technical and they can be solved. The very serious problem of funds to build this special service is one for the Department of Transportation and the Congress. But we say that the magnitude of the task is no cause for discouragement. We believe the task can be accomplished and we are impressed by your interest in the subject. We offer our services wherever you feel they can be useful. Senator SPONG. Thank you very much, Mr. Babson. I do have some questions for you or Mr. Quenstedt. Has a study of origin and destination of air travel been made? Mr. BABSON. Yes, sir; Washington-Baltimore Access Survev, ABT Associates for the Department of Transportation, Office of High Speed Ground Transportation. The survey was conducted in November of 1967, and included the O. & D. of air travel, passengers, employees, and casual visitors to the three area airports-National, Friendship, and Dulles over a 6-day period. The estimates of future air travel demand has been prepared for the Council of Governments in a report entitled "Air Travel Demand, Washington and Baltimore Region." 1 Senator SPONG. What is the actual anticipated employee population at the airports? 1 A copy of this publication was submitted for the record by Walter A. Scheiber, executive director, Metropolitan Council of Governments. See p. 111. |