Billions in State Funds Requested
for Ground-Access Improvements
at Los Angeles Area airports

$2.52 billion requested for area airports

Among the proposed projects is the extension of the 14 Freeway through the city of Palmdale across LAWA property lying south of Palmdale Regional Airport.

If approved, the funds would be spent over the next eight years for 28 different ground-access-improvement projects near Palmdale Regional, Los Angeles International and Ontario International airports.

The proposed Palmdale freeway project would carry motorists east from the 14 Freeway on an extension built at approximately Avenue P-8. The state Department of Transportation, Caltrans, began purchasing property for the project six years ago.

To build the extension, which eventually could connect the 14 Freeway with Interstate 15 near Victorville, Caltrans must obtain property owned by LAWA, south of Palmdale Regional Airport.

The extension would connect the airport to a planned multimodal transportation center meant to serve as a regional hub for plane, train, bus, van-pool and taxi passengers.

Caltrans has received at least $4.6 million in federal funds for the freeway project, but none of it has been spent. The delay is the focus of an inquiry by the office of Congressman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

McKeon also is seeking $2.5 million in federal funding to help Palmdale build the $6 million to $8 million transportation hub near Avenue P-8 and Sierra Highway.

The majority of the other proposed projects, submitted in a list to the California Transportation Commission, are concentrated near LAX.

The proposed funds would cover both on- and off-airport improvements. Construction would begin between the years 2000 and 2008.

The state Transportation Commission is expected to take up LAWA's request at its meeting today in Sacramento.

The costs of the projects range from $3 million each for road improvements to the Sepulveda Boulevard tunnel and La Tijera Boulevard, to $575 million for a Metropolitan Transit Authority Green Line extension into LAX.

"As all our airports continue to grow, we are committed to reducing traffic congestion in their vicinity and improving ground access through multi-person vehicles," said John J. Agoglia, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners.

"We are pleased that the state Legislature is considering a longterm transportation infrastructure program," said Agoglia. "The proposed projects seek to create a balance between near- and long-term on-airport improvements and enhancements to the regional transportation system."

The list of projects submitted by LAWA will be incorporated in the 10year needs assessment of the state's transportation system in accordance with Senate Resolution 8, authored by Senate President Pro Tem John Burton. Ultimately, the projects may be included in a $16 billion general-obligation bond measure proposed by Burton that is expected to go before the voters in 2000.

In last year's annual report to the Legislature, the California Transportation Commission recognized "the importance of California's international airports and LAX in particular to the state's economy and our future economic growth."

The report stated that supplemental funding that is "dedicated to airport-access and airport-system capacity improvements is needed during this period of high demand for airport-access improvements."

In a letter to the commission sent last month, LAWA strongly supported accelerating the construction of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes around LAX on the 405 Freeway, Interstate 105 and state Route 90. An abandoned railroad track northeast of the airport may also provide additional HOV access, as well as a potential cargo connection to both the existing and proposed new cargo areas.

Among the transportation improvement projects requested around LAX are:

Construction of a new "expressway" to provide direct access between Interstate 405 and the airport terminal areas;

Upgrading Arbor Vitae Street to conform to major highway standards;

Improvement of Aviation Boulevard to facilitate access to cargo areas;

Connection between the proposed I-405 HOV lane with the existing I-105 HOV lane;

Expansion of the Van Nuys FlyAway bus terminal and the addition of three to five new remote terminals;

Adding a clean-fuel-burning "people mover" for a new passenger terminal to be connected to MTA's Green Line.

Among the proposed on-airport access improvements at LAX are:

A new access road from Century Boulevard to service a renovated cargo area;

An additional travel lane in front of the international terminal on the upper and lower levels;

Construction of an on-airport traffic management center to coordinate signals and control electronic message signs.

Funding for projects around Ontario Airport include:

Widening the westerly portion of Airport Drive to three lanes in each direction;

Improving the southwest access to the airport by constructing a grade separation at Grove Avenue and the Union Pacific railroad tracks.