Chicago Airport Rail Express

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Chicago Airport Rail Express

Client:

Challenge
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) were interested in estimating potential ridership for a proposed Airport Rail Express that would expedite and improve transit travel between downtown Chicago and each of the city’s two airports.

Initiative
For the project, RSG conducted a stated preference survey and an origin–destination (OD) survey at O’Hare and Midway airports. We:

  • Conducted a stated preference survey of 1,110 passengers at central areas and departure gates within O’Hare and Midway airports. In a laptop-based stated preference questionnaire, respondents provided details of their trip to the airport and completed a series of choice-based conjoint experiments, which varied trade-off attributes among current mode, new Airport Rail Express, and a third option (CTA train, CTA bus, or taxi).
  • Administered an OD survey to 6,800 passengers at departure gates of more than 100 flights. The survey included a detailed sampling plan, with flights selected to closely represent the overall annual pattern of air travel from the two airports. The data were weighted to daily passenger counts by airport, airline, and major destination to provide a data set of air traveler origins.
  • Used the stated preference data to estimate nested logit mode choice models for each airport and for business and non-business travelers. The model included income effects and coefficients to represent the value to travelers of a downtown baggage-check service.
  • Used the observed mode choice data from the weighted OD data to calibrate the mode choice models to existing mode shares.


Results
The calibrated models were used to produce ridership estimates for the Chicago Airport Rail Express service under a series of base- and future-year operating scenarios. Mode shares and ridership forecasts varied by traveler segment and were sensitive to baggage handling and access mode options, such as presence of free shuttle service, as well as to travel time and fare. We completed this $325,000 project on time and within the allocated budget.