Good points in favor of one terminal
In the February issue of the Downtown News, there was a guest editorial on the opinion page by Richard Wolf that proposed taking over the Marine Corps Recruit Depot for use by the San Diego International Airport (“The future of Lindbergh Field: relocate MCRD,” page 6). I, too, think that the land from MCRD would be an excellent place for an airport terminal for Lindbergh Field. However, it seems to me they would only need the southeast corner “” the area described by base streets Guantanamo Street, Iwo Street and Midway Avenue. Surely the idea is a better one than trying to mix fighter jets and commercial airlines over Miramar.
Wolf made many good points in favor of one larger terminal. He said it would allow for more restaurants and shopping, a single security area, gates closer to security, a multilevel parking structure and transportation to and from the airport would be easier. Washington Street goes right to what is called Gate 5 of MCRD, where on- and off-ramps from Interstate 5 could be expanded and where there are already trolley and bus stops.
I don’t agree about rental car agencies at the terminal, though. Most of the major agencies are already on Pacific Highway between Washington and Sassafras and could have a central pick-up/drop-off point at the terminal. I also feel that eliminating the present terminals might leave room for another runway, rather than moving Harbor Drive into that area.
I fully understand Congress and the Marine Corps opposing sharing Miramar with a public airport, but would it hurt to ask if they would give up a small portion of a facility that doesn’t have faster-than-sound fighter planes zipping around overhead?

Sandra McConnell
Ocean Beach