Airport passengers left holding bag

Land key to airport
nexus

The expansion of LAX isn't popular with South Bay cities already tired of noise and air pollution, congested streets and plans to nearly double business.

Los Angeles World Airport officials want the expansion to ensure growth of business and jobs but face lawsuits and angry activist neighbors.

Palmdale can alleviate congestion by improving infrastructure near the Palmdale Regional Airport and by becoming a center for commercial aircraft maintenance, modification and cargo, Ledford said.

"We want to use both sides of the LAX arguments as our ally," Ledford said.

However, the Palmdale mayor isn't as optimistic about air service to and from Palmdale - at least until high-speed rail is established in 15 to 20 years.

In the meantime, infrastructure improvements in roads and flood control can be the start of industry on some of the Department of Airport's 18,000 acres and what one day could be a large airport.

Before the vision can be achieved, Ledford said relation ships need to be cemented between the Antelope Valley and the Department of Airports and the Federal Aviation Administration.

To build relationships and find grants, consultants in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles were hired to lobby for the city.

A first step to improving infrastructure around the airport property is to line up federal and California transportation funds to make the Palmdale Airport more accessible from the Antelope Valley Freeway, Ledford said.

In addition to easing traffic from Palmdale Boulevard, an alignment on Avenue P-8 would be the first part of a plan to piece new corridors to connect Palmdale with Victorville and other cities in the high desert.

By getting the improvements, Ledford said Palmdale can become the transportation nexus of the Antelope Valley by the time highspeed rail service begins.

Before that happens, city officials are talking to many commercial carriers to get air service reinstated from Palmdale to LAX. Ledford said the city is closing in on a deal, but added he is concerned the service will fail if it only provides flights to LAX.

Connection to a regional hub outside California would be more useful to Antelope Valley residents, the mayor said.

If air service is only one way, with discounts to other destinations very limited, it will fail again because people are not anxious to pay $90 each way to fly to LAX, Ledford said.

Ledford said he wants to see what the airlines are proposing before making any statements about them.

"Until there is a commitment I don't want to say we have a replacements That isn't true," Ledford said.

One problem attracting airlines to Palmdale is that commercial air carriers already are seizing Antelope Valley air travelers who must commute to Burbank or LAX and do not want to face the costs of starting services from here.

Conversely, air carriers that are not tapping Antelope Valley businesses fear creating a market here would make it ripe for competitors to push them out at a later time, Ledford said.

A plan that includes talks with the Department of Airports, the Federal Aviation Administration and California transportation authorities can make the P-8 alignment happen, he said.

Once the plan is in place, Ledford said he wants to push areas along Avenue P-8 as the transportation center for Antelope Valley residents.

Resolution of transportation issues could make Palmdale look more attractive for potential cargo or maintenance business at the airport at Air Force Plant 42, Ledford said.

Palmdale staff is working on a study to satisfy requirements for grant funds to obtain property to work on alignments and on a potential flood-control project, Ledford said.

Maintenance work at LAX must go to make room for new proposed air terminals. That business has to go somewhere, and Ledford believes Palmdale could be that place with The Boeing Co.'s 1.1 million-square-foot hangar facilities becoming available at Site 9 in 1999.

"The timing could be right," Ledford said.

In addition, cargo is another concern. Department of Airport officials have said they plan to build a cargo pad at the Palmdale Regional Airport because they believe that is one area Palmdale could eventually help provide some relief for LAX.

Ledford said he wants to see the airport department follow through with as much as $21 million in infrastructure improvements, including a cargo pad, air ramp improvements and construction of a cargo facility.

A new report ordered by the Department of Airports to look at Palmdale's potential role in the LAX master plans is a positive step, Ledford said.