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may be appointed for fixed terms by the elected officials of the <br /> three counties and municipalities of Durham, Orange and Wake <br /> counties. <br /> The RPTA should develop a special set of relationships to <br /> the Research Triangle Foundation, the Raleigh--Durham Airport <br /> Authority and the Triangle J Council of Governments. Through <br /> these relationships, the RPTA should seek to coordinate <br /> transportation services with employment growth taking place at <br /> RTP, RDU and other growth centers. It should also seek <br /> participation in land use planning and zoning decisions which <br /> will shape the pattern of. physical development in the region. <br /> The recommendation of creating an authority to implement <br /> needed public transportation actions is based on two major <br /> considerations. First, the prospect of growing congestion in the <br /> Triangle region poses a serious problem. Increasing travel <br /> times, delays in commuting to and from work and possibly more <br /> expensive and dangerous trips for area residents constitute only <br /> part of the problem. In addition, the attractiveness of the <br /> region to potential employers and residents will decline unless <br /> traffic congestion is kept within reasonable bounds.. Smaller <br /> metropolitan areas with high quality of life and low costs of <br /> living have a comparative advantage relative to larger <br /> metropolitan areas with more urban amenities but with more <br /> serious urban problems. Ease of access is an important aspect of <br /> the Triangle area's attractiveness. To maintain this level of <br /> access as the region grows will be a challenging task. <br /> Second, the results of the analyses in Reports No. I and No. <br /> 2 are not encouraging in the following sense. The study of <br /> trends projects increasing congestion even with the construction . <br /> of planned highway improvements. The study of choices indicates <br /> iv <br />