• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Proposal Would Expand Airport Terminal

Posted on: Friday, 26 August 2005, 00:00 CDT

Aug. 26--SANTA ANA John Wayne Airport's terminal would swell by 68 percent under a projected $437 million expansion plan but caps limiting the number of passengers will remain the same, according to county documents released Thursday.

The terminal, now 440,000 square feet, would have a southern extension adding six gates and 300,000 square feet, says a 52-page report that offers more detail on the county's plan to enlarge the airport for better customer service and add international flights.

County supervisors approved the expansion's environmental documents in October but still have various approvals to make on the project. Expansion of the terminal could start in November 2006 and would increase the number of permanent gates from 14 to 20.

JWA would be designed to handle 10.8 million annual passengers. A court settlement with nearby residents allows 10.3 million passengers a year through 2010, and then 10.8 million through 2015. At that time, another settlement amendment will likely be sought to limit jet noise and pollution.

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa residents who staunchly oppose growth at the airport have signed off on the expansion because it abides by limits on passengers.

But other neighbors consider an expansion premature, considering the caps.

"I don't mind the wait," said Theresa Delvac, a teacher living in south Santa Ana. "I don't know how six more gates are going to help you get through the ticket counter faster."

The Orange County Register reported Aug. 12 that county officials are taking steps for a big expansion at JWA that is to be completed in 2010 if supervisors sign off on the plans.

"What we're doing here is basically implementing facilities to match our agreement with the community," said Alan Murphy, airport director. "It basically provides better customer service. It will provide a little bit more elbow room. It'll let us operate more efficiently."

Financing for the expansion could come from a $4.50 tax on passengers flying out of JWA and using other revenues to finance the changes. Other options include fees on airlines that use the airport, car-rental taxes, using the airport's reserves or taking out loans, according to planning documents.

Other details that emerged Thursday:

The Thomas F. Riley Terminal would keep the same general look -- it was built in 1990 to resemble a fuselage. The new design "concept is functionally and aesthetically similar to the existing terminal," the report says.

The new part of the terminal would handle 35 percent of passengers, with the current area taking the rest. The expansion also includes a redesign of the airfield so planes can taxi more easily.

If there wasn't a passenger cap, 11.6 million passengers would go through JWA in 2010, the report forecasts.

Three daily international flights are anticipated. They would depart to Mexico and Canada.

A parking structure with 2,500 spaces would be built.

A hybrid co-generation plant would provide the terminal's electricity and power to chill and heat its water.

Supervisor Jim Silva said noise remains the main concern of nearby residents, and county officials are working to protect citizens from further disturbance. But he said an expansion makes sense for a growing population.

"John Wayne is the only commercial airport in Orange County and the population is growing," Silva said. "By the year 2025, we'll have 3.6 million people. That's another 400,000 from where we are now."

The current terminal was built for 8.4 million passengers and served 9.3 million last year.

JWA officials say the expansion is meant to provide more room for current passengers and prepare for when 10.8 million are using JWA.

Without an expansion, airport officials say passengers could experience baggage delays, longer lines at security and a shortage of parking.

Airport officials also intend to spend an additional $75 million on other airport improvements.

Residents near John Wayne Airport, in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, were so concerned about the airport expanding that they campaigned heavily several years ago for a commercial airport at the shuttered U.S. Marines El Toro airfield. That effort failed -- putting more pressure on JWA.

Tom Naughton, president of the Airport Working Group and a Newport Beach resident, said airport officials met with him and other concerned residents to discuss the proposed expansion. His group previously sued the county to keep the airport small and supported an airport at El Toro.

"We agreed with the (passenger) caps and the gates," Naughton said. "When you add six gates, you can't do that without picking up terminal space."

By Jim Radcliffe And Ellyn Pak

-----

To see more of The Orange County Register, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.ocregister.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, The Orange County Register, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Orange County Register

More News in this Category