Integrating Airport Landside Planning with Regional Systems

Airports, particularly medium and large hub commercial service airports, are increasingly dependent on effective integration with regional transportation systems, land use planning, and utility infrastructure. While these systems are often planned and governed by external entities, airport sponsors remain responsible for ensuring that airports operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with federal obligations. Misalignment between airport sponsors and regional partners can lead to conflicts involving airport planning, infrastructure development, revenue use, cost recovery, and other federal requirements, while fragmented decision-making can reduce the effectiveness of regional transportation and mobility planning. Although previous Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) research has addressed airport ground access, sustainability, and land use compatibility, there is limited guidance on integrating these areas within a governance framework that accounts for the airport sponsor's federal responsibilities and coordination with regional planning organizations. The objective of this research is to develop a practical framework to guide airport sponsors, regional partners, and policymakers in integrating airport landside planning with regional systems while maintaining compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and protecting airport operational and financial integrity. The research will develop governance frameworks, planning methodologies, and implementation tools to support coordination among airport sponsors, metropolitan planning organizations, state DOTs, utilities, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders that influence airport planning and development. It will produce a guidebook, decision-making toolkit, case studies, stakeholder communication materials, and recommendations for applying existing ACRP guidance and FAA advisory materials to support integrated landside planning.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Proposed
  • Funding: $450,000.00
  • Contract Numbers:

    Project 03-86

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Federal Aviation Administration

    800 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC  United States  20591
  • Managing Organizations:

    Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP)

    Transportation Research Board
    500 Fifth Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001
  • Project Managers:

    Murthy, Krishna

  • Start Date: 20260831
  • Expected Completion Date: 0
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: Airport Cooperative Research Program

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 02001715
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
  • Contract Numbers: Project 03-86
  • Files: TRB, RIP
  • Created Date: Sep 2 2026 4:37PM