Federal Officials Urge a Second Atlanta Airport ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Federal transportation officials say Atlanta may need a second airport. A new study says that many of the nation's airports, including Atlanta's, won't be able to handle future travel demand unless there are major changes.

Hartsfield Jackson has added lots of capacity recently. Within the last year, it opened a new fifth runway, and an end-around runway. And construction is underway for a new international terminal.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters praises all this, but says it's not enough.

PETERS: By 2025, cities like Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, and San Diego are going to have to risk the lost revenue, lost business, and lost appeal that comes with chronic airport delays, or they're going to have to consider building new airports.

The federal department of transportation is giving $1 million to Atlanta leaders to consider new solutions for the projected future air crunch.

A new airport is one option. Some others would be innovations to further expand the existing airport's capacity, or converting general and military aviation fields to commercial use.
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