"Hearing set on expansion plan for Ontario, Calif., airport"

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Hearing set on expansion plan for Ontario, Calif., airport
The Inland Valley (CA) Daily Bulletin


ONTARIO, Calif. -- Inland Valley residents will get a rare chance to
voice concerns about Ontario International Airport's imminent expansion
tonight at the Ontario Convention Center.

At a community meeting that runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., airport
representatives will discuss ways to accommodate about 30 million
passengers per year at Ontario, a long-term goal that will significantly
increase traffic around the airport and may affect people who live in
adjacent neighborhoods.

"We want to be open minded and be able to listen to everyone's interests
and comments going forward," said Jim Ritchie, who develops long-range
planning for Los Angeles World Airports, which operates both Ontario and
Los Angeles International Airport. 

The company and regional transportation officials say Ontario must
significantly expand to keep up with Southern California's growing
population -- and the additional air travel and air freight that it
triggers -- because growth at other regional airports like LAX and John
Wayne Airport are limited.

"Right now, Ontario is the only airport with the infrastructure and
capital to accommodate that growth," ONT spokeswoman Maria Fermin said.

Comments at tonight's meeting will be included in the report that will
document any environmental impacts that airport expansion will have. Los
Angeles World Airports is in the process of developing a new master plan
for the airport, which will help guide its development through the year
2030. 

Though specific plans are still in the works, expansion will be
significant.

Last year the airport served about 6.55 million passengers. But
transportation experts expect that it will serve 30 million passengers
per year by 2030. 

Air cargo will also increase -- last year 550,000 tons in air cargo
moved through the airport, while 2.25 million tons per year are expected
by 2030.

Currently there are two competing plans to accommodate the growth. Both
call for new facilities, including additional terminals and 79 more
acres for air cargo facilities. 

Two alternative plans are currently being considered. Both include
additional terminals and aircraft gates and construction or expansion of
parking lots and access roads. They also include an expanded or
relocated ground transportation center, general aviation facilities, an
airport maintenance area and the possibility of people movers connecting
airport facilities.

But the first plan would require land acquisition of about 33 acres,
while the second plan would need about 220 acres. Both plans would
affect neighbors to the south of the airport, though to different
degrees.


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