The number of capacity-strained airports in America's top metropolitan areas could grow over the next two decades if aviation industry stakeholders do not solve congestion issues in the air and on land, said a Department of Transportation (DOT) report released last month on airspace capacity.

The DOT found that 23 airports will need expanded capacity over the next 16 years if benchmarks in the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Operational Evolution Plan (OEP) are not met.

"This report is sobering news, but if communities use it as a tool to decide how they want to handle capacity down the road, we can keep America flying and our economy growing," said Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.

The increase of more operationally efficient regional jets (RJs), geographical population booms and the rise of low-fare carriers as industry leaders all have been positive financial factors for the aviation industry since the devastating Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But those positive conditions also could contribute to massive congestion problems at leading airports.

Five airports - Atlanta, Newark, Philadelphia, New York LaGuardia and Chicago O'Hare - all currently need additional capacity. And at all five, the use RJs account for an ever- growing share of the aircraft mix.

The DOT said planned improvements at some airports would not be sufficient to handle future growth. Therefore, new runways, new airports and the implementation of new technologies at airports and on aircraft are needed.

The DOT expects to approve seven new runway projects worth $5 billion over the next five years, allowing for more than 840,000 additional takeoffs or landings annually, Mineta said.

He identified Atlanta, Cincinnati and Minneapolis as cities that have conceived plans to handle future traffic loads.

Atlanta will receive $43 million in new federal grants for projects. DOT is contributing $20 million for the airport's new fifth runway, scheduled to be complete in June 2006. The other $24 million will go toward noise restrictions in surrounding neighborhoods.

Mineta noted that reduced airline scheduling around peak hours and the creation of "express lanes" for quicker departures around metropolitan cities has reduced congestion.

Various technologies also will be part of the solution. The DOT currently is funding construction of seven new air traffic control towers and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities.

Airports also are being equipped with a digital radar system called Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) that helps air traffic controllers to better manage the traffic in the skies around them. Daytona Beach, Kansas City, Raleigh-Durham, and Rochester, N.Y., are next on the schedule to receive STARS. Thirteen more airports will get STARS in 2005, and six systems are scheduled for installation in 2006.

This year, Providence, Orlando, St. Louis, and Louisville will deploy a runway safety system called Airport Surveillance Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) in an effort to minimize runway incursions. Yet, the technology does not provide warnings directly to pilots.

>>The complete FAA report can be obtained at