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Chapter 6: Intermodal Integration/ Airport Access Airports are part of a larger transportation network that provide transportation into, out of, and within Tennessee. Especially in northeast and west Tennessee, airports often provide needed access to rural communities, and in more urban parts of the state such as Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, airports are a hub around which residents and visitors alike can access business and recreation. Airports are often a visitor’s first access to Tennessee before accessing the other transportation networks within the state. In addition to the 78 system airports in Tennessee, there are 1:
Over 28,413 miles of functionally classified roads 20,087 bridges on public roads within Tennessee 26 public transit systems supporting over 32 million trips by public transportation (estimated in 2012) 949 miles of navigable waterways, 887 miles of which are on the Tennessee, Cumberland, and Mississippi Rivers Over 1,200 miles of Class I railroad tracks owned and operated by six railroad companies and 21 short line railroads When discussing intermodal access, it’s important to recognize that transportation networks often rely on one another. Many users drive or take the bus to an airport, and in turn walk or bike to a bus stop. Each of these transportation resources relies on other modes to ensure their operational success. This section discusses how airports are integrated with other transportation modes in Tennessee and the importance of continued intermodal integration. Airport Roadway Connections To access the state’s aviation system from the ground, residents and visitors primarily utilize Tennessee’s extensive network of roadways. Tennessee’s location within the U.S., including being surrounded by eight states, make it a major thoroughfare for interstate travel. Roadways include interstates, United States (U.S.) highways, state routes, county roads, and city roads. There are 15 interstates in Tennessee including:
I-40: Runs east-west across the state from the Tennessee/North Carolina border to Memphis in the southwest corner of the state. At 455 miles, it is the longest interstate portion in Tennessee. I-24: Spans 180 miles through the center of the state. This interstate originates at the Kentucky state line and runs north and south, terminating in Chattanooga. I-65: Runs north-south from Kentucky to Alabama and passes through Nashville near the center of the state. I-75: Runs north-south through the eastern portion of the state from Kentucky to Georgia, terminating near Chattanooga.
1 TDOT 25-Year Long Range Transportation Policy Plan; https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/documents/Travel_Trends_022316.pdf 1
I-55: Starts at the southwest corner in the state at the Mississippi border and runs northwest to the Arkansas border. The majority of I-55 runs through Arkansas but also serves the Memphis metro area. I-81: Starts at Dandridge, Tennessee and terminates at the Virginia state border at the northeastern edge of the state. I-26: Located in the northeastern corner of the state, this interstate originates in Kingsport and ends at the North Carolina state line. I-155: Provides western connectivity from Dyersburg, Tennessee to I-55 in Missouri. I-840 and I-440: Both provide additional connectivity around the Nashville metro area. I-269 and I-240: Both provide additional connectivity around the Memphis metro area. I-640, I-140, and I-275: They provide additional connectivity around the Knoxville metro area. There are also 46 U.S. highways and 445 state routes. The longest U.S. highway in Tennessee is US-70, which traverses the state east-west and is 478 miles long. The longest state route (SR) is SR-1, which is 538 miles long, begins in Memphis, and terminates in Bristol. Figure 1 depicts the major interstates in Tennessee. The state road network provides the ability for much of the state population to conveniently access Tennessee system airports. A summary of the roadway connectivity analysis for each system airport is provided in Table 1. Airport connectivity to adjacent roadway linkages was determined through online resources including Google Earth and Google Maps. The table presents the following information:
The distance to the nearest downtown from the airport. If the population of the nearest city or town is less than 10,000, the distance to the closest city or town with 10,000 or more people is also provided. The road(s) that provide direct access to each airport. Direct access is defined by the airport being located on a major highway or road or connected via an airport access road. The driving distance to the closest interstate, U.S. highway, or state highway via indirect access.
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Figure 1: Tennessee Highway System
Source: ArcGIS Evaluation, Kimley-Horn 2020
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Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway SR-39 2 2 McMinn County SR-30 Athens MMI None None US-411 4 4 Athens 4 Airport (4L) I-75 4 9 SR-30 2 1.5 Benton 5 US-411 SR-33 Benton Chilhowee Gliderport 92A None Cleveland 20 (4L) (4L) I-75 4 20 Athens 20 William L Whitehurst SR-18 US-64 4 3 Bolivar 4 Bolivar M08 None None Field (2L) I-40 4 28 Jackson 31 I-81 4 2 Kingsport 14 Bristol/ Johnson/ SR-357 Tri-Cities Airport TRI None None I-26 4 7 Johnson 15 Kingsport (4L) US-23 4 7 Bristol 17 SR-69 2 1 Camden 4 Benton County US-641 2 1 Camden 0M4 None None None Airport US-70 2 2 Jackson 60 I-40 4 13 SR-100 2 1 Centerville 5 Centerville Municipal SR-48/230 Centerville GHM None None I-40 4 13 Airport (2L) US-412 4 22 Columbia 30 SR-319 4 0.5 Hixson 6 Chattanooga Dallas Bay Sky Park 1A0 None None None US-27 4 4 I-75 8 18 Chattanooga 18 US-64 SR-153 Chattanooga Lovell Field CHA None I-75 8 1 Chattanooga 7 (4L) (6L) ALT SR-12 Clarksville Outlaw Field CKV None US-41 I-24 4 5 Clarksville 8 (7L) (7L) SR-2 2 3 Cleveland Regional Cleveland RZR None None None US-11 2 3 Cleveland 7 Jetport I-75 4 6 4
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway US-641 2 2.5 Clifton 2 SR-128 Clifton Hassell Field M29 None None US-64 4 4 (2L) I-40 4 41 Jackson 60 SR-321 2 3 Collegedale 2.5 Collegedale SR-317 Collegedale FGU None None US-64 4 4 Municipal Airport (2L) I-75 4 6 Chattanooga 19 SR-243 SR-50 4 7 Mt. Pleasant 2 Columbia/Mount US-43 (3L) Maury County Airport MRC None Pleasant (4L) SR-6 I-65 4 20 Columbia 10 (4L) US- SR-68 4 3 Ducktown 3 Copperhill Martin Campbell Field 1A3 None 64/74 None Copperhill 4 (4L) I-75 4 41 Cleveland 35 US-51 4 3 Covington 5 Covington Municipal SR-3 4 3 Covington M04 None None None Airport SR-54 2 4 Memphis 45 I-40 4 20 SR-24 2 3 Crossville Memorial - US-70 Crossville CSV None None SR-392 4 3 Crossville 3 Whitson Field (2L) I-40 4 5 SR-30 2 2 Dayton 6 Dayton Mark Anton Airport 2A0 None None None US-27 4 5 I-75 4 22 Athens 24 SR-46 4 2 Dickson Municipal SR-235 Dickson M02 None None US-70 4 4 Dickson 5 Airport (2L) I-40 4 10 SR-210 2 2 Dyersburg Regional US-51 SR-3 Dyersburg DYR None SR-104 2 2 Dyersburg 3 Airport (4L) (4L) I-155 4 5 5
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway SR-99 2 3 Eagleville 4 US-41A SR-16 I-840 4 12 Eagleville Puckett Field 50M None (2L) (2L) I-24 8 18 Murfreesboro 19 I-65 4 18 Elizabethton SR-91 US-19E 4 1 Elizabethton 2 Elizabethton 0A9 None None Municipal Airport (5L) I-26 4 11 Johnston City 10 US- SR-110 2 5 Fayetteville 6 Fayetteville Municipal SR-10 Fayetteville FYM None 431/US- Airport (5L) I-65 4 22 Huntsville, AL 23 231 (5L) SR-56 2 2 Gainesboro 3 Jackson County Gainesboro 1A7 None None None US-70N 3 17 Airport I-40 4 20 Cookeville 20 SR-109 4 2 Music City Executive SR-25 Gallatin XNX None None US-31E 4 3 Gallatin 3 Airport (2L) I-40/840 8 15 US-321 4 2 Greeneville Municipal SR-93 Greeneville GCY None None US-11E 4 2 Greeneville 3 Airport (2L) I-82 4 12 SR-3 SR-88 2 0.5 Halls 1 US-51 (4L) I-155 4 13 Halls Arnold Field M31 None (4L) SR-210 I-40 4 30 Dyersburg 11 (2L) US-412 SR-20 SR-48 2 2 Hohenwald 2 Hohenwald John A Baker Field 0M3 None (2L) (2L) I-40 4 35 Columbia 35 Humboldt Municipal US-45W SR-5 SR-152 2 2 Humboldt 3 Humboldt M53 None Airport (4L) (4L) I-40 4 11 Jackson 15 SR-22 SR-124 2 2 Huntingdon 6 Huntingdon Carroll County Airport HZD None None (4L) US-79 4 4 I-40 4 21 Jackson 41 6
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway SR-63 4 1 Jacksboro 4 Colonel Tommy C. Jacksboro JAU None None None SR-9 4 1 Stiner Airfield I-75 4 7 Knoxville 35 US-70 4 1 McKellar - Sipes SR-223 Jackson MKL None None SR-1 4 1 Jackson 6 Regional Airport (3L) I-40 4 3 Jamestown Municipal US-127 SR-28 SR-296 2 3 Jamestown 6 Jamestown 2A1 None Airport (4L) (4L) I-470 4 27 Crossville 30 US-64/72 3 0.5 Jasper 3 Marion County - Jasper APT None None None SR-2 3 0.5 Brown Field I-24 4 2 Chattanooga 22 I-26 4 3 SR- Johnson City Johnson City Airport 0A4 None None 2380/400 Johnson City 4 US-23 4 3 (2L) SR-158 4 2 Knoxville Downtown Knoxville DKX None None None US-441 5 3 Knoxville 3 Island Airport I-40 6 3 McGhee Tyson US-129 SR-115 I-140 4 2 Knoxville TYS None Knoxville 12 Airport (6L) (6L) SR-335 4 3 SR-52 2 1.5 Lafayette 3 Lafayette Municipal Lafayette 3M7 None None None US-231 2 11 Airport I-40 4 30 Gallatin 28 Lawrenceburg - SR-15 4 1 Lawrenceburg Lawrence County 2M2 None None None US-64 4 1 Lawrenceburg 3 Airport I-65 4 27
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Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway I-40 4 1 Lebanon Municipal Lebanon M54 None None None US-231 5 1 Lebanon 2 Airport I-840 4 2 US-431 SR-106 SR-50 2 1 Lewisburg Ellington Airport LUG None Lewisburg 4 (2L) (2L) I-65 4 6 US-412 4 1.5 Lexington 13 Beech River Regional Lexington-Parsons PVE None None None SR-202 2 2 Airport I-40 4 16 Jackson 40 SR-13 2 0.5 Linden 3 Linden James Tucker Airport M15 None None None US-412 2 3 I-40 4 24 Columbia 52 SR-111 3 1 Livingston 2.5 Livingston Municipal Livingston 8A3 None None None US-70N 4 22 Airport I-40 4 22 Cookeville 23 SR-68 2 3 Madisonville 4 Monroe County Madisonville MNV None None None US-411 4 4 Airport I-75 4 10 Athens 15 Houston County SR-147 US-79 2 13 Erin 14 McKinnon M93 None None Airport (2L) I-40 4 42 Clarksville 40 SR-55 4 3 Warren County US-70S McMinnville RNC None None SR-380 2 3 McMinnville 5 Memorial Airport (4L) I-24 4 23 US-51 5 1 General Dewitt Spain Memphis M01 None None None I-240 6 2 Memphis 4 Airport I-40 4 2 US-78 4 3 Memphis I-240 I-55 8 3 Memphis MEM None None Memphis 8 International Airport (8L) I-40 6 4 SR-175 6 0.5 8
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway US-51 2 2 Millington 2 Charles W Baker Millington 2M8 None None None SR-3 2 2 Airport I-40 6 7 Memphis 13 US-51 5 2 Millington 2 Millington – Memphis SR-205 Millington NQA None None SR-385 4 2 Airport (5L) I-40 6 6 Memphis 20 US-11E 4 0.5 Moore-Murrell Morristown MOR None None None SR-160 4 0.5 Morristown 5 Airport I-81 4 8 SR-167 2 1 Mountain City 6 Johnson County Mountain City 6A4 None None None US-421 5 4 Airport I-81 4 30 Boone, NC 25 SR-96 5 1 Murfreesboro US-231 SR-10 Murfreesboro MBT None US-41 7 2 Murfreesboro 3 Municipal Airport (5L) (5L) I-24 8 4 SR-155 4 1.5 Nashville John C. Tune Airport JWN None None None I-40 8 3 Nashville 8 US-70 5 3 SR-255 Nashville I-40 US-41 (4L) Nashville BNA I-24 8 1 Nashville 8 International Airport (8L) (6L) SR-155 (4L) Scott Municipal US-27 SR-297 SR-459 2 5 Oneida 5 Oneida SCX None Airport (5L) (5L) I-75 4 25 Knoxville 60 SR-218 2 0.5 SR-69 Paris Henry County Airport PHT None None US-641 2 3 Paris 4 (2L) I-69 4 35 SR-52 4 1 Portland Municipal Portland 1M5 None None None US-31W 2 8 Portland 3 Airport I-65 4 8 9
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway US-64 4 2 Pulaski 4 SR-166 BYP Pulaski Abernathy Field GZS None None (2L) US-31 5 4 Lawrenceburg 20 I-65 4 12 Rockwood Municipal SR-299 I-40 4 2 Rockwood 6 Rockwood RKW None None Airport (2L) US-27/70 5 6 Oak Ridge 30 US-11E 4 1.5 Rogersville 8 Hawkins County SR-346 Rogersville RVN None None SR-1 4 1.5 Airport (2L) I-81 4 19 Kingsport 23 SR-69 2 0.5 Savannah 5 Savannah – Hardin SR-225 Savannah SNH None None US-64 4 4 County Airport (2L) I-40 4 48 Jackson 53 SR-142 2 4 Selmer 7 Robert Sibley US-64 SR-15 Selmer SZY None US-45 5 6 Airport (4L) (4L) Corinth, MS 23 I-40 4 43 SR-66 6 2 Gatlinburg – Pigeon US-411 SR-35 Sevierville GKT None US-441 6 4 Sevierville 2 Forge Airport (5L) (5L) I-40 6 11 I-24 4 4 Sewannee 2 Franklin County US-41A SR-56 Sewanee UOS None Airport (2L) (2L) US-41 2 4 Manchester 22
Bomar Field- SR-437 2 2 US-231 SR-82 Shelbyville Shelbyville Municipal SYI None Shelbyville 5 (5L) (5L) I-24 4 14 Airport SR-56 3 0.5 Smithville 2 Smithville Municipal Smithville 0A3 None None None US-70 5 2 Airport I-86 4 16 Cookeville 26
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Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway US-41 4 1 Smyrna Smyrna Airport MQY None None None SR-266 5 1 Smyrna 2 I-24 8 4 SR-46 2 4 Somerville 6 Fayette County SR-195 Somerville FYE None None US-64 4 6 Airport (2L) Collierville 22 I-269 4 16 SR-111 4 1 Sparta 11 Sparta Upper Cumberland SRB SR-136 None None I-40 4 7 Regional Airport (2L) US-70 2 8 Cookeville 9 SR-161 2 2 Springfield Robertson US-41 SR-11 Springfield M91 None US-432 5 5 Springfield 3 County Airport (5L) (5L) I-24 4 13 TN32/33 5 3 Tazewell 3 New Tazewell Tazewell 3A2 None None None US-58 4 15 Municipal Airport I-81 4 38 Morristown 32 SR-78 2 3 Tiptonville 11 SR-213 Tiptonville Reelfoot Lake Airpark 0M2 None None I-51 4 30 (2L) Union City 32 I-155 4 33 US-45E 4 6 Trenton 6 Gibson County SR-77 Trenton TGC None None US-45W 3 6 Airport (2L) I-40 4 21 Jackson 25 Tullahoma Regional US-41A 5 0.5 Tullahoma Airport/William THA None None None SR-269 2 1 Tullahoma 2 Northern Field I-24 4 14 SR-22 4 3 Everett-Stewart SR-431 Union City UCY None None US-45W 5 5 Union City 6 Regional (2L) I-69 4 14 SR-13 2 3 Waverly 4 Humphreys County Waverly 0M5 None None None US-70 4 6 Airport I-40 4 20 Dickson 24 11
Table 1: Tennessee Airport Roadway Connectivity
Direct Access Roadways Nearest Indirect Access Roadways (no. of lanes) Downtown
State FAA Inter- U.S. Major No. of Miles from City/ Miles from Associated City Airport Road/ ID state Hwy Roadway Lanes Airport Town Airport Highway Winchester Municipal US41-A SR-15 US-64 4 0.5 Winchester 3 Winchester BGF None Airport (5L) (5L) I-24 4 15 Tullahoma 16
Source: Google Maps & Google Earth, June 2020
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DISTANCE TO MAJOR ROADWAYS Figure 2 presents a summary of airport roadway connectivity by proximity to any major roadway and proximity to a major U.S. interstate. The analysis shows that all airports have access to at least one major roadway within three miles or less. Sixty-five percent of the airports in Tennessee have direct access (zero miles) to an interstate, U.S. highway, or state route. Airports that are not directly connected with a major roadway are connected by short distances over county or city roads. Twenty- three percent of airports are less than two miles of the closest major roadway. Only 12 percent of system airports in this analysis (nine of 78) are two to three miles from the closest major road. Figure 2 also shows that 41 percent of system airports are within 10 miles of one of the 15 major interstates that traverse the state. Another 30 percent of the airports are between 11 and 20 miles from an interstate. Only eight airports (10 percent) are located more than 30 miles from an interstate. The airport that is located the farthest from the interstate (Savannah-Hardin County Airport) is 48 miles from I-40. However, as indicated in the discussion above, this airport and other more distant airports are still well-connected via U.S. and state highways.
Figure 2: Distance From Tennessee Airports To Major Roadways
DISTANCE TO THE NEAREST DISTANCE TO NEAREST U.S. MAJOR ROADWAY INTERSTATE (INTERSTATE, U.S. HIGHWAY,
OR STATE ROUTE) >30 0-2 miles miles
10% 9% 3-5 2-3 miles miles 12% 21-30 14% miles 0 miles 19% 1-2 miles 65% 15% 6-10 11-20 miles miles 18% <1 mile 30% 8%
Source: Google Maps & Google Earth, June 2020 PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWNS Air travel is an appealing option for many businesses because it provides important time savings for conducting business. Many pilots that fly recreationally also highly value the convenience of flying and/or basing their aircraft at the nearest airport. Convenient access to population centers and a nearby downtown can be important factors when choosing an airport. Tennessee’s system airports are typically located within close proximity of a downtown of a nearby city or town. Figure 3 presents a summary of the distances from system airports to the nearest downtown, as well as the nearest downtown with a population of over 10,000. The closest downtown for 41 percent (32 of 78) of system airports has a population of over 10,000. As depicted in the figure, 68 percent of system airports are located less than five miles from any downtown area. Another 24 percent are less than 10 miles from a downtown area, leaving just eight percent of airports more than 10 miles from a downtown. The farthest any system airport (Houston 13
County and Tri-Cities) is located from a downtown is 14 miles. Many system airports are farther away from a population center of more than 10,000. Just 28 percent of system airports are located five miles from a city center with a population of more than 10,000, while 18 percent are more than 30 miles from a larger city center. Two airports, Hassell Field and Scott Municipal, are 60 miles from the nearest population center of more than 10,000. Figure 3: Proximity of Tennessee Airports To Downtowns
DISTANCE TO NEAREST DISTANCE TO THE NEAREST DOWNTOWN WITH >10,000 DOWNTOWN (ANY SIZE) POPULATION
>10 miles <3 miles >30 miles 8% 19% 18% <5 miles 28%
6-10 miles 21-30 24% 3-5 miles miles 49% 22% 5-10 11-20 miles miles 14% 18%
Source: Google Maps & Google Earth, June 2020 Intermodal Integration The 2020 TASP Inventory Data Survey analyzed the availability and connectivity of rental cars, public transportation or transit (i.e., bus), rideshare, courtesy cars, and other applicable modes of transportation within the Tennessee airport system. This assessment indicates the overall integration and interconnectivity of multimodal transportation modes between airports and their local communities and regions. The following subsections summarize this analysis. RENTAL CAR AVAILABILITY Rental cars allow airport users the freedom and mobility to travel within the state upon landing and reduce their reliance on other modes of ground transportation, including local pickups, courtesy cars, or public transit systems (as available). Of equal importance, rental cars at airports often increase the airport’s overall ability to facilitate economic activity within their communities. Data on the availability of rental car service was collected in the TASP Inventory Data Survey. Sixty- three airports, or 81 percent, reported having access to rental car services. This includes the five commercial service airports and 58 of the 73 general aviation (GA) airports. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (BUS AND ON DEMAND BUS) Public transportation via bus (also referred to as transit) within a community increases accessibility and facilitates equitable economic opportunity to all residents and visitors. Transit is a unique mode of transportation as it can substantially reduce vehicular traffic on community roadways. Because of this benefit, transit is often promoted as a preferred transportation mode for both visitors and local residents. Direct connections from airports to public transportation allow visitors and those employed
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at airports reliable mobility into and within the community. This level of convenience further boosts the airport’s ability to connect the community and state to the rest of the world. On demand bus or shuttle access, otherwise known as paratransit, further increases visitor travel access. On demand buses/shuttle typically provide access outside of regular bus routes and schedules. Twelve airports, or 15 percent, are directly serviced by public transportation. Of these airports, five are commercial service airports and seven are GA airports. A slightly larger number of airports, 17 or 22 percent, indicated having on demand bus access. Of these airports, five are commercial service airports and the remaining 12 are GA airports. Per TDOT Office of Public Transportation, there are 19 public transit providers in the state that serve urban areas and municipalities. In addition, there are nine agencies in the state that provide regional rural public transportation services. TDOT notes that public transportation is available in every county in Tennessee. Options include fixed-route service, demand-response service, express buses, local shuttles, and complimentary paratransit in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The state continues to work on transit linkages to airports by working closely with the agencies shown in Table 2. Three private providers also offer intercity bus service in Tennessee: Greyhound, Miller Transportation, and Delta Bus Lines.
Table 2: Tennessee Public Transit Agencies
WEST TENNESSEE Urban/Municipal Agencies Rural Agencies Delta Human Resource Agency (DHRA) - Fayette, Jackson Transit Authority Lauderdale, rural Shelby, and Tipton counties
Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) (NWTHRA) - Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion, and Weakley counties
Southwest Human Resource Agency (SWHRA)- Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and McNairy counties MIDDLE TENNESSEE Urban/Municipal Agencies Rural Agencies South Central Tennessee Development District (SCTDD) - Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Music City Star Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry, and Wayne counties Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) Regional Transit Authority (RTA) of Middle - Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Tennessee Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White counties Murfreesboro Rover Clarksville Transit System Franklin Transit Authority
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EAST TENNESSEE Urban/Municipal Agencies Rural Agencies Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency (SETHRA) - Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Marion, Gatlinburg Mass Transit McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie Counties and the non-urbanized areas of Bradley and Hamilton counties. East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) - Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Pigeon Forge Fun Time Trolley Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union counties Northeast Tennessee Rural Public Transit (NET Trans) - Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Johnson City Transit Unicoi and Washington Counties (operated by First Tennessee Human Resource Agency (FTHRA)
Kingsport Area Transit Service Bristol Tennessee Transit Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation
Authority (CARTA) Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) Cleveland Urban Area Transit System
(CUATS) Lakeway Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (LAMPTO) Transit Oak Ridge Transit Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation (https://www.tn.gov/tdot/multimodal-transportation-resources/office-of- public-transportation/public-transit-services1.html)
SHARED MOBILITY (RIDESHARE) Over the last several years, shared mobility has become a popular mode of transportation. Shared mobility is the shared use of a mobility device. Instead of each user owning their own car, bike, or scooter, these vehicles are shared amongst a large user base. Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft pioneered this new shared mobility model and leveraged their users’ independently owned vehicles to provide rides to other users. Uber and Lyft rideshares are available in many communities throughout the state. Forty-eight airports, or 62 percent, reported rideshare availability in their associated cities. As rideshare has evolved, both Uber and Lyft have further improved their services to not only provide users with a ride using another user’s vehicle, but to also allow for shared carpooling. Uber has branded their carpool service as “UberPool” while Lyft has branded their service as “Shared.” In these rideshare carpools, users can further share their ride with other users traveling in the same direction. This allows Uber and Lyft to achieve higher occupancy levels per trip. Using these services is enticing for users, as it further reduces the cost of their commute as everyone in the carpool pays an equitable share for the trip. In addition to Uber and Lyft’s share carpooling programs, there are several ridematching services in Tennessee that connect rideshare participants with others traveling between similar places. These 16
services allow users to arrange shared trips or coordinate carpools. Smart Commute is TDOT’s program that provides resources to support alternative mobility options including ridesharing in Tennessee. The goal of the state as well as the local programs is to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion by encouraging multiple occupancy vehicle commute trips through ridesharing, transit, biking, and walking. The following rideshare programs are available in Tennessee:
Smart Trips (Knoxville) GreenTrips (Chattanooga) TMA Group/Vanstar (14 middle Tennessee counties surrounding Nashville) Memphis Area Rideshare The Uber/Lyft business model has since caught on with other mobility devices such as bikes and scooters. This business model partners private firms with communities to establish a network of shared bikes or scooters throughout the community. Networks are often designed to place bikes or scooters within the vicinity of other modal linkages such as bus stations. This provides a mobility option that helps solve the first- and last-mile connection issues between traditional transportation modes and users’ final destinations. Currently Knoxville (Pace), Chattanooga (Bike Chattanooga), Nashville (B-cycle), Clarksville (B-Cycle), and Memphis (Explore) have bikeshare programs in place, while scootershare programs can be found in Knoxville (Spin and VeoRide), Memphis (Ojo and Bird), and Nashville (Bird and Lime). TAXIS For airports located in smaller communities where rental cars, public transportation, or rideshare programs may not be available, taxi service often provides the link between airports and their communities. Taxi service is an important resource in many larger cities and a convenient option when traveling between the airport and city centers. Forty-five airports, or 58 percent, report access via taxi service. COURTESY CARS Courtesy cars are used to maintain links with nearby communities at airports with limited modal integration. These cars are typically stored on-airport and sponsored by the airport owner/operator or by the fixed-base operator (FBO), primarily to serve GA users. Courtesy cars are often a favorite amenity for pilots and passengers who utilize these airports, as they provide a means to travel into town for meetings, meals, or entertainment. Seventy-four airports, or 95 percent, report having courtesy cars available. Only four airports do not currently offer courtesy cars to visiting pilots and passengers including Puckett Field, Johnson City Airport, Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport, and New Tazewell Municipal Airport. SHUTTLE SERVICES Several airports reported the availability of various shuttle services. Airport shuttles transport people between the airport and either their homes, hotels, or where they parked their cars. Vehicles are generally spacious, with ample room for riders to store their luggage. Fifteen airports, or 19 percent, reported being served by shuttle service, such as hotel shuttles, rental car shuttles, parking shuttles, or another type of shuttle service. INTEGRATION SUMMARY Table 3 and Figure 4 provide a tabular and visual summary of the intermodal integration at Tennessee’s airports. Bus access at airports in Tennessee is uncommon, and many airports that
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stated that they have bus access have a bus stop that is a ten-minute walk away or more. Figure 5 through Figure 9 shows the distances between airports and their closest bus stop, for airports with bus access that is not directly in front of the terminal. Nine airports noted besides personal cars, courtesy cars are the only other option for leaving the airport. Two airports noted that bicycles are offered to visitors to access nearby towns (Franklin County and Lafayette).
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Table 3: TASP Airport Intermodal Availability
On- Associated FAA Rental Courtesy Uber/Lyft Airport NPIAS TASP Role Bus Taxi Demand City ID Car Car Rideshare Bus Athens McMinn County Airport MMI Local Community Business Benton Chilhowee Gliderport 92A Non-NPIAS Turf Bolivar William L Whitehurst Field M08 Basic Community Service Bristol/Johnson/ Tri-Cities Airport TRI Nonhub Commercial Service Kingsport Camden Benton County Airport 0M4 Local Community Service Centerville Centerville Municipal Airport GHM Local Community Service Chattanooga Dallas Bay Sky Park 1A0 Non-NPIAS Community Service Chattanooga Lovell Field CHA Small hub Commercial Service 2 Clarksville Outlaw Field CKV Local Regional Service Cleveland Cleveland Regional Jetport RZR Regional Regional Service Clifton Hassell Field M29 Basic Community Service Collegedale Collegedale Municipal Airport FGU Non-NPIAS Community Service Columbia/Mount Maury County Airport MRC Regional Regional Service 1 Pleasant Copperhill Martin Campbell Field 1A3 Basic Community Service Covington Covington Municipal Airport M04 Local Community Service Crossville Crossville Memorial - Whitson Field CSV Basic Community Business Dayton Mark Anton Airport 2A0 Local Community Service Dickson Dickson Municipal Airport M02 Local Community Business Dyersburg Dyersburg Regional Airport DYR Regional Regional Service Eagleville Puckett Field 50M Non-NPIAS Turf Elizabethton Elizabethton Municipal Airport 0A9 Regional Regional Service Fayetteville Fayetteville Municipal Airport FYM Local Community Service 3 Gainesboro Jackson County Airport 1A7 Basic Community Service Gallatin Music City Executive Airport XNX Regional Regional Service
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Table 3: TASP Airport Intermodal Availability
On- Associated FAA Rental Courtesy Uber/Lyft Airport NPIAS TASP Role Bus Taxi Demand City ID Car Car Rideshare Bus Greeneville Greeneville Municipal Airport GCY Local Regional Service Halls Arnold Field M31 Non-NPIAS Community Service Hohenwald John A Baker Field 0M3 Non-NPIAS Community Service Humboldt Humboldt Municipal Airport M53 Local Community Service Huntingdon Carroll County Airport HZD Local Community Business Jacksboro Colonel Tommy C. Stiner Airfield JAU Local Community Service Jackson McKellar - Sipes Regional Airport MKL Regional Commercial Service Jamestown Jamestown Municipal Airport 2A1 Basic Community Service Jasper Marion County - Brown Field APT Local Community Service Johnson City Johnson City Airport 0A4 Non-NPIAS Community Service Knoxville Knoxville Downtown Island Airport DKX Regional Community Business Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport TYS Small hub Commercial Service Lafayette Lafayette Municipal Airport 3M7 Local Community Service Lawrenceburg - Lawrence County Lawrenceburg 2M2 Local Community Service Airport Lebanon Lebanon Municipal Airport M54 Regional Regional Service Lewisburg Ellington Airport LUG Local Community Business Lexington - Beech River Regional Airport PVE Local Community Business Parsons Linden James Tucker Airport M15 Unclassified Community Service Livingston Livingston Municipal Airport 8A3 Local Community Service Madisonville Monroe County Airport MNV Local Community Service McKinnon Houston County Airport M93 Non-NPIAS Community Service McMinnville Warren County Memorial Airport RNC Local Community Service Memphis General Dewitt Spain Airport M01 Regional Community Business 4 Memphis Memphis International Airport MEM Small hub Commercial Service 1
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Table 3: TASP Airport Intermodal Availability
On- Associated FAA Rental Courtesy Uber/Lyft Airport NPIAS TASP Role Bus Taxi Demand City ID Car Car Rideshare Bus Millington Charles W Baker Airport 2M8 Local Community Service Millington Millington - Memphis Airport NQA Regional Regional Service Morristown Moore - Murrell Airport MOR Regional Regional Service Mountain City Johnson County Airport 6A4 Local Community Service Murfreesboro Murfreesboro Municipal Airport MBT Regional Regional Service 5 Nashville John C. Tune Airport JWN National Regional Service Nashville Nashville International Airport BNA Medium hub Commercial Service 1 Oneida Scott Municipal Airport SCX Local Community Business Paris Henry County Airport PHT Local Community Business Portland Portland Municipal Airport 1M5 Local Community Service Pulaski Abernathy Field GZS Local Community Business Rockwood Rockwood Municipal Airport RKW Local Community Service Rogersville Hawkins County Airport RVN Basic Community Service Savannah Savannah - Hardin County Airport SNH Basic Community Business Selmer Robert Sibley Airport SZY Local Community Service Sevierville Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge Airport GKT Regional Regional Service Sewanee Franklin County Airport UOS Basic Community Service Bomar Field- Shelbyville Municipal Shelbyville SYI Local Community Business Airport Smithville Smithville Municipal Airport 0A3 Local Community Service Smyrna Smyrna Airport MQY National Regional Service 6 Somerville Fayette County Airport FYE Local Community Service Sparta Upper Cumberland Regional Airport SRB Local Regional Service Springfield Springfield Robertson County Airport M91 Local Community Business
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Table 3: TASP Airport Intermodal Availability
On- Associated Rental Courtesy Uber/Lyft Airport FAA ID NPIAS TASP Role Bus Taxi Demand City Car Car Rideshare Bus Tazewell New Tazewell Municipal Airport 3A2 Local Community Service Tiptonville Reelfoot Lake Airpark 0M2 Non-NPIAS Community Service Trenton Gibson County Airport TGC Local Community Service Tullahoma Regional Airport/William Tullahoma THA Regional Regional Service Northern Field Union City Everett Stewart Regional Airport UCY Local Community Business Waverly Humphreys County Airport 0M5 Basic Community Service Winchester Winchester Municipal Airport BGF Regional Regional Service 1Bus stops at the terminal
2Distance from closest bus stop to CHA terminal is shown in Figure 5
3Distance from closest bus stop to FYM is shown in Figure 6
4 Distance from closest bus stop to M01 is shown in Figure 7
5 Distance from closest bus stop to MBT is shown in Figure 8
6Distance from closest bus stop to MQY is shown in Figure 9
Source: TASP Inventory Data Survey, 2020
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Figure 4: TASP Airport Intermodal Availability
Source: TASP Inventory Data Survey, 2020
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Figure 5: Distance from Closest Bus Stop to Lovell Figure 6: Distance from Closest Bus Stop to Figure 7: Distance from Closest Bus Stop to General Field (CHA) Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) Dewitt Spain Airport (M01)
Figure 8: Distance from Closest Bus Stop to Figure 9: Distance from Closest Bus Stop to Smyrna Murfreesboro Municipal Airport (MBT) Airport (MQY)
Source: Google Maps, 2020 24
Tennessee’s Freight Network Tennessee’s freight network consists of road, rail, air, water, and pipeline assets as well as the terminals and connecting points that link these modes together to accommodate freight. Efficient movement of goods to, from, and through Tennessee is closely linked with manufacturing, which supports jobs throughout the state. In terms of goods movement, air cargo provides the most reliable service for time-sensitive transport although it is the costliest. Truck, rail, pipeline, and water are used to move goods that are either less time-sensitive or are bulk commodities at a lower cost. Water transport is the slowest and least costly option for freight movement. AIR CARGO Although air cargo is a small fraction of the amount of the total statewide freight, the value per ton far outweighs any other mode (see Figure 10). Memphis International Airport is the second busiest air cargo airport in the world and home to FedEx, a major multinational delivery services company. Memphis International accounts for the majority of the air cargo carried in the state. The other four commercial service airports in the state also accommodate air cargo. Nashville International Airport is home to the Nashville Air Cargo all-cargo complex. McGhee Tyson Airport is a U.S. Customs- designated port of entry for international cargo. The Tri-Cities Air Cargo Logistics Center at Tri-Cities Regional Airport houses both a U.S. customs port and a foreign trade zone. The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport also accommodates air cargo. There are several key projects in the state that point to the continued expansion of air cargo in the state. They include:
In 2020, DHL Express announced that it has invested $5.3 million to relocate and expand its service center in Nashville to include a new facility with upgraded equipment and design to boost DHL service capabilities in the region as demand for e-commerce continues to grow. In 2018, FedEx announced it will spend six years implementing a $1.5 billion modernization program at its facility in Memphis. The project calls for the construction of a large new sorting facility, “state-of-the-art” sort systems, construction of a bulk truckload building, and a new area to better handle oversized shipments due growth in e-commerce.
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Figure 10: Tennessee Commodity Movement Summary
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan, 2016 RAIL Figure 11 presents the rail network in Tennessee. There are 34 total railroads (Class I, II, and III) that make up 2,940 miles of track. The Tennessee Statewide Rail Plan (SRP), which is a companion piece to TDOT’s 25-Year Long-Range Transportation Policy Plan and Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan, outlines goals, objectives, and strategies for a safe and efficient rail system. The plan notes that “Tennessee’s central location and presence of a gateway to the west make it a critical piece to the national rail system. Many major corridors cris-cross the state, connecting the interior U.S. to international ports and allowing for cross-country and North American trade. These corridors receive heavy investment from railroads and federal grants. Continued investments into the rail system broaden Tennessee’s access to global markets and lower the cost of sourcing and shipping goods throughout the state.” The plan includes a brief description of the commercial service airports in terms of congestion trends but did not include airports in further analysis or recommendations.
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Figure 11: Rail Lines in Tennessee
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan, 2012
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When integrated with airports, heavy rail provides a unique connection that can facilitate the movement of goods and commodities. While this type of connection is rare, it does represent a transportation mode that can be integrated with airports. While there are no Tennessee system airports with integrated heavy rail, several system airports are within close proximity of one or more rail lines. Memphis International’s nearby airport industrial park is located in the BNSF Intermodal Terminal. Another example is the Canadian National Railroad that runs adjacent to Millington- Memphis Airport and the Millington Industrial Park, making the airport an intermodal transportation hub. PORTS Three major rivers run through Tennessee, including the Mississippi River, the Tennessee River, and the Cumberland River. There are several ports located in Tennessee to accommodate freight carried on barges. They include: Port of Memphis, Port of Nashville, Port of Knoxville, Port of Chattanooga, and the Port of New Johnsonville.
Port of Memphis is the largest port in Tennessee and the second largest port on the Mississippi River. The port accommodates barge, rail, truck, and pipeline activity. The CN and CSX railroads are in the final planning phases of an expansion of the Intermodal Gateway Memphis facility in the Pidgeon Industrial Park. The expansion will double the size of the current facility. While the large air freight hub is available at the Memphis International Airport 10 miles away, there is no direct access between the port and the airport. INTERMODAL FACILITIES AND CONNECTORS Within Tennessee there are a number of intermodal facilities (e.g. rail-truck, truck-air, rail-barge) as shown in Figure 12. The intermodal facilities are generally concentrated around the urban areas. The location of the FedEx World Hub in Memphis and the region’s rail service by five Class I railroads contribute to the dense concentration of intermodal facilities in this area. There are four rail-to-road intermodal facilities in Memphis, including a BNSF terminal located near Memphis International Airport. Nashville and Chattanooga are also home to several intermodal facilities that accommodate both rail and truck freight movements.
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Figure 12: Intermodal Facilities in Tennessee
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan, 2016
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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) identifies key intermodal terminals and intermodal connectors that are part of the National Highway System (NHS). In the U.S. there are 616 intermodal freight terminals that are connected to the NHS by 1,222 miles of connectors. There are 23 connectors in Tennessee, including several that provide access between the major freight terminals at airports and the highway system. NHS’s key intermodal connectors between the Tennessee airports and the highway system are summarized as follows: Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport: Shepherd Road (Airport Connector) between SR-153 and Airport Road Memphis International Airport: Tchulahoma and Democrat Rd between Lamar Ave (SR-4) and Airways Blvd Memphis International Airport: Plough Blvd between I-240 and the airport entrance Tri-Cities International Airport: Airport Access Road (SR-357) from I-81 to airport entrance STATEWIDE MULTIMODAL FREIGHT PLAN FINDINGS The 2016 TDOT Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan undertook an in-depth process to identify needs and concerns regarding the movement of goods in Tennessee, to meet the state freight plan requirements outlined in the FAST Act, and to better align state goals with the National Strategic Freight Plan goals. The plan noted that 40 percent of the state’s GDP is based on freight-related industry sectors including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, transportation, and warehousing. The three goals of the plan include:
Improving the safety, security, efficiency, and resiliency of the freight transportation system Improving the state of good repair of the freight transportation system Reducing congestion on the freight transportation system The plan analyzed system performance of freight movements by truck, rail, water, and air. In terms of air freight, the plan stressed that inadequate airport land may limit the aviation system’s ability to accommodate projected growth for freight activities at major airports. It highlighted that airports should frequently re-evaluate traffic and the implications for landside, airport, and airside infrastructure which often results in changing land and facility needs. Figure 13 depicts the location of recommended projects from the plan. No airport-specific improvements were identified.
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Figure 13: Freight-Related Projects Needed in Next 20 Years
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan, 2016
Figure 14: Projected Population Growth by County 2018-2040
Source: Boyd Center for Business & Economic Research, October 2019 31
The plan noted that the main challenges facing Tennessee’s transportation system are congestion, safety and resiliency, deterioration of rail, bridges, and locks, and land use and infill around urban areas. The largest challenge facing the achievement of freight improvements is funding. New, upgraded, and replaced transportation improvements are increasingly expensive. The historical funding landscape is also changing with less funding available to complete transportation improvements. The state will look to balance Tennessee’s freight policies while capitalizing on other multi-state and multi-party investments. The strategies and participants may vary by mode. Several of the initiatives and policies outlined in the Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan could have the propensity to help air freight infrastructure improvements as well. They include:
Establishing a multimodal freight funding program with a dedicated revenue source Expanding the State Industrial Access Program to allow for non-road improvements Establishing a freight and logistics office within TDOT to further advance freight planning and investments in Tennessee Transportation Areas of Concern Based on research and the TASP airport manager interview process, there are several areas of concern regarding airport accessibility and intermodal integration in Tennessee. They include: • High growth areas • Congestion and potential traffic reduction considerations • Rideshare concerns • Climate change Each of these topics is discussed in the following subsections. HIGH GROWTH AREAS According to population projections by the University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center for Business & Economic Research developed in 2019, the state will grow by over one million people in the next 20 years with the middle of the state absorbing most of the growth (see Figure 14). Middle Tennessee, specifically Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, and Sumner Counties, are expected to see more than half of the 1.07 million in population growth by 2040. Nearby Montgomery County, home to Clarksville, will also see a large increase by 2040. Middle Tennessee is currently experiencing shifts in population that require constant adjustments to the state’s transportation and mobility infrastructure. Commonly known as “rural flight” and “urban explosion,” these types of population changes generally entail shrinking rural populations and growing urban populations. This dynamic is predominantly driven by younger generations migrating to urban areas for economic opportunities and older generations migrating for quality of life purposes. The seven-county Nashville metropolitan planning area has added approximately 30,000 people per year since 2010 and the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) projects even more aggressive growth than the state for the region, estimating that the greater Nashville area population will grow from approximately 2.0 million people in 2018 to nearly 3.3 million by 2045. The number of jobs is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the same period. This underscores the urgency of a regional approach to addressing Middle Tennessee’s infrastructure challenges. Rapid population growth typically leads to congestion of existing infrastructure due to an increase of users that stretch infrastructure to its capacity. Unfortunately, rapid population shifts can
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be somewhat difficult to predict during long-range planning efforts which can inhibit a community’s ability to keep pace with new infrastructure demands. Coupled with the slow and costly development of new/expanded infrastructure, traffic congestion is rapidly becoming a mobility and accessibility issue for the state, especially in the Middle Tennessee region. The socioeconomic growth of the area has intermodal implications that will not be experienced by the rest of the state. A few of the key transportation challenges in the Middle Tennessee including traffic congestion and rideshare concerns are highlighted below. CONGESTION AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRAFFIC REDUCTION Traffic congestion is rising sharply in Middle Tennessee as well as urban areas of Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, due in large part to the growing economy. Table 4 presents a summary of Tennessee traffic congestion data based on a 2018 analysis by INRIX. With a history of sprawling land development patterns and long cross-county commuting, residents have very few options to get around congestion. Cities in Tennessee and the U.S. have been shaped to accommodate the car and it is difficult for people to envision getting around in other ways and changing habits. Traffic matters in Tennessee are on track to be worse by 2045, when the amount of congestion on area roadways could increase dramatically as a result of continued growth and development.
Table 4: Traffic Congestion And Costs In Tennessee
Annual Hours U.S. Ranking of Annual Cost per Annual Cost Urban Area Spent in Worst Traffic Driver per City Congestion Nashville #27 $1,469 $1.2 billion 33 Memphis #89 $846 $175 million 17 Knoxville #148 $673 $94 million 12 Chattanooga #64 $946 $293 million 21 Sources: INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, 2017, Think Tennessee In Middle Tennessee, GNRC recently declared 2020 as the “Year of Transportation” and began a new regional transportation plan process. The plan will address the urgency of accommodating the future traffic associated with population growth. A public transit option will likely continue to be pursued. Anticipated congestion and future projects will undoubtedly impact access to the airports in this region. Oftentimes building additional infrastructure or widening roadways does not solve congestion. When constraints are placed on infrastructure, travelers will look to alternative routes or modal options instead. Perhaps they will decide to use transit or telecommute rather than drive to their office, or perhaps they will look for carpool opportunities. Congestion can also lead to delays in passengers and employees reaching the airport and freight movements to and from the airport. As congestion increases in the Middle Tennessee as well as in other urban areas across the state, the solution to stressed infrastructure will need to be alleviated through alternative traffic reduction methods.
Development of Transit - As traffic congestion increases in urban areas, public transportation can move more people in less space and transit will likely become a more popular option. Nashville made a strong case for a $5.4 billion public transit plan but was unsuccessful when the voters overwhelming rejected the referendum in May 2018. It was noted that there were several problems with the plan and its foundation. A new plan for transit in Nashville will likely be considered as GNRC undergoes the transportation planning process for the region in 2020.
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In 2014, The City of Chattanooga received a TIGER IV grant to study the possibility of a rail transit line from downtown Chattanooga to the Chattanooga Municipal Airport and other large business centers in the area. The Rail Transit Feasibility Study was published in 2016. The preferred alternative includes one rapid rail line with four stations and CARTA bus connections to various stations serving several other areas including the airport.
Disincentives for Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) and Incentives for High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) - A large portion of vehicles on Tennessee roadways are SOVs. These types of vehicular trips take up a large proportion of roadway capacity per person. In comparison, an HOV (carpool, van pool, or bus) can transport a larger number of people per vehicle, thereby significantly reducing the roadway capacity required per person. Rideshare options such as UberPool and Lyft’s Shared carpool services could be promoted not only as a way to help form HOV trips, but to also help users save money. When users form these shared carpools, each member of the pooled trip pays an equitable share of the trip cost, thereby making a single occupancy rideshare trip less affordable and less attractive. RIDESHARE CONCERNS Another concern about airport access entails the rapid growth of rideshare including Uber and Lyft as an emerging mode of transportation. A few concerns regarding rideshare interaction with airports are discussed below.
Propagation of Vehicular Traffic. The popularity and growth of rideshare as a mode of transportation encourages the continued use (and perhaps growth) of motorized vehicles providing transportation. Encouraging the use of rideshare in the form of carpools rather than single passenger trips helps reduce the overall impact of increased vehicular congestion. Congestion of Airport Curb Fronts. As the use of rideshare continues to increase, a larger percentage of airport users will be dropped-off and picked-up at airport curb fronts rather than parking a vehicle in traditional parking facilities. This naturally causes curb fronts to exceed their originally designed capacities. Associated concerns with crowded curb fronts include increased vehicle/vehicle and vehicle/pedestrian interactions leading to a higher collision risks and reduced user experience due to congestion and delay. Commercial service airports are testing various methods of ridesharing pick-up and drop-off points to reduce the curb front congestion. The preferred method depends on the airport and is based on available space, the roadway network, and other issues potentially impacting curb front congestion. Reduction of Airport Parking Revenue. Increased use of rideshare as a mode of transportation reduces the demand on existing airport parking facilities. Similarly, any increased ridership of transit options (bus or light rail) will also affect the demand for parking. This presents a problem for airport operators, as parking fees represent one of their largest revenue sources. Future sources of revenue will need to be explored to sustain operating budgets as all indications point to the continued growth of alternative transportation modes such as rideshare and transit providing access to and from airports. Inequitable ADA Accessibility. There is also a limited capacity of rideshare companies that have the ability to accommodate ADA users. As most drivers for rideshare companies use their own personal vehicles, the vast majority of the overall rideshare fleet is not configured to accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility equipment. Therefore, as rideshare grows as a transportation mode, the equitable share of ADA compatible transportation may decrease. Both Uber and Lyft have implemented accessibility programs to provide a limited number of vehicles that can accommodate non-folding wheelchairs. However, these services are only available in select markets and available vehicles can often take a considerable amount of 34
time to arrive once a trip has been requested. TDOT actively advocates for accessibility as required by the ADA. The provision of ADA-compatible vehicles is left to the various transit districts, rideshare companies, taxi services, etc. The challenge lays in ensuring these types of entities, especially among growing rideshare companies, provide an equitable number of ADA- compliant vehicles across all service areas. CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change will affect Tennessee’s water, energy, transportation, and public health systems, as well as economies throughout the state. Climate change impacts a wide range of important economic sectors from agriculture to manufacturing to tourism. In the last several years, extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and record-breaking rainfall have impacted and will likely severely impact Tennessee’s transportation system. TDOT’s Assessing the Vulnerability of Tennessee Transportation Assets to Extreme Weather Study completed in 2015 found that the urban areas of Memphis and Nashville had the most at-risk transportation infrastructure in the state. In addition, the report highlighted that southeast Tennessee will have the most vulnerable bridges by 2050. Figure 15 presents the counties in Tennessee that have the most vulnerable roads and interstates to an extreme hydrologic event.
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Figure 15: Future Vulnerability for Roads to High Precipitation
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation, Assessing the Vulnerability of Tennessee Transportation Assets to Extreme Weather Study
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Airport runways that are over 6,000 feet in length were deemed as critical assets in the study. According to findings, airports in Blount (Knoxville), Davidson (Nashville), Hamilton (Chattanooga), and Shelby (Memphis) counties were vulnerable to a high wind event while Davidson and Shelby counties were also highly vulnerable to a hydrologic event including high rainfall and flooding. An extreme weather event that impacts any part of the transportation system will have a cascading effect over an entire region. Tennessee leaders have already scheduled to try to address some of the state's infrastructure issues. The $10 billion IMPROVE Act was developed by Governor Haslam in 2017 to address the deteriorating infrastructure backlog across the state, including addressing the vulnerable assets in the state extreme weather study. State and Regional Planned Transportation Improvements Transportation planning is a critical component of ensuring viable growth and coverage of the state’s overall accessibility and modal interconnectivity. Planning allows communities to anticipate future growth and shifts in demand to effectively plan for desired outcomes. Following planning efforts, specific improvements can be identified and implemented along planned timelines or upon reaching specific milestones. The following subsections touch on local long-range planning efforts and specific infrastructure improvements that are either in process or planned for the near future for Tennessee’s transportation/mobility systems. TDOT 25-YEAR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION POLICY PLAN TDOT’s current long-range statewide transportation policy plan was published in 2015 and is intended to guide the state’s multimodal transportation system and prioritize transportation investments. The plan included eight policy papers and a 10-year strategy investment plan. Each of the eight topic areas of the policy papers offer recommendations for policies and initiatives that were influenced by a peer state evaluation and public and stakeholder outreach. There are three primary objectives of the plan: Promote Efficiency, Increase Effectiveness, and Emphasize Economic Competitiveness. Tennessee averaged $1.8 billion in annual transportation funding between 2006-2016. As shown in Figure 16 there was a $500 million shortfall between needs and revenues in 2017 which will continue to grow over the 10-year investment period. The plan identified the projected needs for each mode of transportation, including aviation. It was estimated that Tennessee’s commercial service and GA airports would need an average of $106 million per year over the 10-year horizon to meet their infrastructure and development needs. A detailed list of transportation projects was not provided in the plan. It is evident that substantial effort is needed to help bridge the funding gap, including for airports.
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Figure 16: Transportation Project-Related Funding Forecast
Source: TDOT 25-Year Long-Range Transportation Policy Plan: Plan Summary A comprehensive review of airports and their needs was not included in the Policy Plan. However, an overview of Tennessee’s airports can be found in several of the policy papers. The commercial service airports that support air cargo were included in the Freight Logistics and Planning Policy Paper and a summary of the system is in the Travel Trends and System Performance Policy Paper. The policy papers noted that TDOT is lacking in performance measures that focus on all modes of the freight system, including air and water, and other facility users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. According to the plan “adding measures that evaluate other modes of transportation and all users will give TDOT a true measure of the impact of the projects on the entire transportation system. Measures can be used to determine where the system is lacking or to identify project requirements to accomplish the mission of the TDOT.” The policy papers also summarized several of the performance measures from the 2001 Tennessee State Airport System Plan and recognized that TDOT must be able to plan for and accommodate traffic generated around and through the airports to facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods. Recommendations in the Freight and Logistics Policy Plan Policy Paper that pertain to airports include:
Ongoing coordination between TDOT, specifically the Aeronautics Division, and freight industry leaders in Tennessee to keep the State economically competitive in terms of freight movement. Intermodal connections and improvements for airports are also needed to keep pace with continued growth and economic development. In addition to roadways, Tennessee’s Strategic Corridors should include rail, water, air, and intermodal facilities.
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TDOT should have staff and technical resources to assist communities and freight partners with freight planning, land use and freight, and impacts of freight (e.g., quiet zones, idling restrictions, airport/land use compatibility, etc.). TDOT should support a program for multimodal freight investments (e.g., first mile/last mile connections-air, water, rail; bottlenecks; safety; ITS; truck parking; etc.) in the 3-Year Plan. REGIONAL AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING EFFORTS There is a combination of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs), and Transportation Planning Organizations (TPOs) in Tennessee that help to identify local transportation needs, conduct planning, and assist local governments. The planning groups in Tennessee are depicted in Figure 17. RPOs support the statewide transportation planning process in the rural, non-metropolitan regions. Long range transportation plans are the tool typically used by regional planning agencies to guide a region’s planning strategy and capital investment for the next 20 or more years. Although federal law does not require that a region's long-range transportation plan include an aviation element, it is becoming more prevalent and important to acknowledge and include airports in planning efforts as they are important regional transportation assets. It can be difficult to include airports in transportation plans since they typically operate independently of other transportation modes and the majority of their funding for investment and development comes directly from the FAA to the airports. Also, it is difficult to apply typical transportation-related goals and performance measures to airports. While an airport discussion can be found in many state and regional transportation plans today, they could benefit from more coordinated state aviation system plan efforts as well as master planning efforts to summarize the 20-year plan and needs of airports in their regions. Although regional planning organizations are not directly responsible for planning and programming airport needs, continued communication and coordination are necessary to ensure multimodal options are available and adequate transportation facilities exist to get people and goods to and from the airport. Table 5 summarizes the level of inclusion of airports in existing regional or local transportation plans in Tennessee. Sometimes airports are discussed as regional transportation assets. In other cases, airports are included only as they relate to the movement of freight and air cargo.
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Figure 17: Tennessee MPO/TPO/RPO Planning Areas
Source: Tennessee DOT, Long Range Transportation Division
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Table 5: Tennessee Regional and Local Transportation Plans
Related - Related Plan CIP Plan Goals/PMs Location Map Location Freight Focus Freight Airport Master Airport Related Airport Airport Overview Agency Report Year Airports Included Recommendations Other Rural Regional Arnold Field West Tennessee Rural Planning Transportation 2019 Covington Municipal Organization Plan Fayette County William L. Whitehurst Field Rural Regional Beech River Regional Southwest Rural Planning Organization Transportation 2019 Robert Sibley Airport Plan Savannah-Hardin County Lafayette Municipal Rural Regional Jackson County Dale Hollow Rural Planning Organization Transportation 2018 Livingston Municipal Plan Jamestown Municipal Airport mentioned in Economic Nashville International Middle Tennessee Competitiveness goal and Greater Nashville Regional Council 2016 John C. Tune Connected objectives regarding upgrading Smyrna/Rutherford County intermodal connections Livability 2050 MEM mentioned in goal related to Regional last mile connectivity to intermodal Memphis Urban Area MPO 2019 Memphis International Transportation facilities. Section 4.3.7 discusses Plan Update Airport Security 2040 Long Range Lakeway Metropolitan Transportation Transportation 2017 Moore-Murrell Planning Organization Plan McGhee Tyson Knoxville Regional Transportation Knoxville Downton Island Mobility Plan 2040 2018 Planning Organization Moore-Murrell Skyranch
Kingsport Metropolitan Transportation 2040 LRTP 2017 Tri-Cities Regional Planning Organization
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Table 5: Tennessee Regional and Local Transportation Plans
Related - Related CIP Goals/PMs Location Map Location Freight Focus Freight Airport Related Airport Airport Overview Recommendations Agency Report Year Airports Included Airport Master Plan Other 2040 Regional Cleveland Urban Area MPO Transportation 2016 Cleveland Regional Jetport Plan Two airport-specific objectives included: 1. Ensure that airport equipment, Clarksville facilities, and pavement on Metropolitan Clarksville Urbanized Area MPO 2019 Outlaw Field runways, taxiways, and aprons Transportation are in good condition Plan 2045 2. Support the development of commercial flights to and from the Clarksville Regional Airport. 2045 Regional Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Transportation 2019 Lovell Field Planning Agency Plan
Long Range Bristol Tennessee/Virginia Urban Area 2016 Tri-Cities Transportation MPO 2017 Virginia Highlands (VA) Plan Year 2040
JACKSON 2045 Long Range Jackson Area MPO 2017 McKellar-Sipes Regional Transportation Plan
2040 Long Range Tri-Cities Johnson City Metropolitan Transportation Transportation Johnson City Planning Organization Plan Elizabethton Municipal Source: Various planning organization websites
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Several of the transportation plans had recommendations or projects listed related to Tennessee airports during the planning period. They fall into one of three categories: access improvements, intermodal improvements with transit, or airport development and are as follows:
Greater Nashville Regional Council - Middle Tennessee Connected o 2020: Nashville Area I-40 SmartWay Expansion Donelson Pike, exit 216 to US70 exit 239) ($4M) o 2030: Widening Airport Road between SR-109 to SR-25 near Sumner County Regional Airport from two to four lanes ($21M) o 2030: I-40 Interchanges @ Donelson Pike and Future Harding Place Extension including Donelson Pike Relocation from Taxiway Bridges over Donelson Pike to I-40 ($100.1M) Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization - Livability 2050 o Memphis Airways Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System connecting the Innovation Corridor to the Memphis International Airport ($131M) o Promoting the use of alternative fuel in which the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will purchase ten electric buses and add several charging stations along a route serving the Memphis International Airport Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency - 2045 Regional Transportation Plan o 2026-2035: Adding new local bus service from Northern Georgia to Eastgate Town Center and Airport ($6.8M) o Tennessee portion of new local bus service through N. GA to Eastgate Town Center and Airport ($11.9M) Kingsport Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization - LRTP 2040 o Widening a 3.5-mile portion of SR-36 from I-81 to Airport Road from two lanes to four lanes ($44.1M) o 2025: Improving median breaks and adding left turn lanes on Airport Parkway (SR-357) ($570,000) o 2040: Extend Airport Parkway (SR-357) northbound with limited access 2-lane cross section with wide shoulders ($14.5M) Dale Hollow Rural Planning Organization - Rural Regional Transportation Plan o Short-term, mid-term and long-term projects at Jamestown Municipal Airport were included on the map of recommended projects for Fentress County. This inclusion was based on public input. Recommendations were not included for the other three GA airports in the region. Summary Tennessee’s intermodal access is crucial to the continued development of the state. From providing emergency access in its most rural areas to bringing visitors to its bustling cities, airports play a critical role in providing transportation access across the state. Tennessee also provides intermodal access through its highway system and roadway network and a small but growing public transportation network. Tennessee’s intermodal growth faces challenges from lack of funding, a still-growing planning infrastructure, and the need for increased planning coordination efforts. However, Tennessee’s intermodal growth also has numerous opportunities, from increased population growth, transportation innovations, and increased attention paid to transportation options. TDOT Aeronautics Division has acknowledged the importance of intermodal access through the implementation of the TASP. Goal #2 of the TASP is “Provide an airport system with available and cost-efficient transportation options for moving people and freight.” This Goal includes two system indicators (SIs) which determine the intermodal connectivity of Tennessee’s airports. These SIs are: 43
• Percent of airports with a dedicated courtesy car, rental car, or ride share available • Percent of airports that provide intermodal options for their community, including public transportation interfaces at the airports (i.e. bus or other “on-demand” services) Through the analysis of this Goal, and in particular the two previously listed SIs, TDOT Aeronautics Division will determine if resources are needed to encourage further intermodal connectivity at airports, which will be coordinated with the appropriate agencies and stakeholders. TDOT Aeronautics Division also encourages airports to work with their local community to ensure intermodal options are extended towards the airport. Airport access and future intermodal connections will most likely first impact the sprawling urban area of Nashville, and to a lesser extent, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. However, improved transportation options and coordination between planning agencies and transportation agencies will benefit all areas of Tennessee.
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