Amid the uncertainty of the long-term future of the San Diego International Airport, Mayor Jerry Sanders is backing a proposal to bring about new airport improvements on the north side of Lindbergh Field toward the Pacific Highway corridor ” including the eventual relocation of most or all of the existing terminals. Some planners predict the move would relieve some traffic congestion in the surrounding community.
Short-term airport additions include the construction of 10 gates at Terminal 2, an Intermodal Transportation Center and a possible parking structure.
Sanders wants airport planners to explore the possibility of moving these improvements to the northern end of Lindbergh Field to improve access to nearby freeways and the surrounding streets, such as Laurel, Grape and Hawthorn streets, according to Bill Harris, press secretary for Sanders.
“[Sanders] is just making sure that when we are heading into short-term fixes, we’re not precluding a long-term vision for the airport,” Harris said.
Sanders iterated his position at a joint meeting of San Diego Association of Governments and the Airport Authority held Feb. 8 in downtown San Diego. The agencies met to discuss the long- and short-term plans for Lindbergh Field.
“This is much larger than just an airport issue. This is a transportation issue,” Sanders said. “This may be the single most important decision we make for this region in all of our careers.”
California Independent Voter Project (CAIVP) representatives proposed building an Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) on the northeast side of Lindbergh Field near Pacific Highway.
They suggested speeding up the planning process to make sure Lindbergh Field doesn’t run out of gate space before new additions can relieve congestion. The group also suggested not building anything before a long-term plan is established.
In the presentation, CAIVP members said they found the ITC proposal would relieve some traffic congestion in surrounding communities by providing direct access to Interstate 5 and Pacific Highway. The proposal also highlighted use of mass transit, including bus, train and trolley. It features an environmentally friendly transportation center with rooftop solar panels.
The center reduces greenhouse gas emissions about 5 percent more than a plan without it, according to CAIVP members.
The plan, however, would need an additional 90 acres of public and private land sitting between I-5 and the current airport property line. An additional 27 acres of Marine Corps Recruit Depot land would give airplanes more room to move along an extended taxiway, according to the proposal.
The land combined with existing space would provide enough room to eventually move existing terminals to the north, said CAIVP project director Carl Nettleton. However, that it would be up to the Airport Authority and other planners to make the final decision, he added.
The project would also add about 2,000 short-term parking spaces and 20,000 long-term spaces.
Steve Peace, CAIVP chairman and former state senator, urged SANDAG and Airport Authority representatives to act fast.
“The most important decision you will ever make “¦ is this decision. And time is up. The options are gone. This is the one last chance we have to create an asset,” Peace said.
Alan Bersin, chair of the San Diego Regional Airport Authority board, said the CAIVP long-term proposal addresses the need for near-term improvements while creating a “bold” vision for the future.
“We support [the proposal] in the same way that the mayor does ” not as a definitive plan, but a demonstration of what could possibly be implemented,” Bersin said.
He added that any long-term regional aviation and transportation plans require cooperation between SANDAG, the city, the Airport Authority and the Navy.
The California Independent Voter Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inform the community about public policy issues and encourage voters to participate in the political process. For information, visit www.caivp.net
The public comment period for the draft of the Airport Authority’s EIR closed Feb. 4. The report projects out to the year 2030 the environmental impacts and mitigation of the 10 new gates at Terminal 2, an overnight aircraft apron and reconstruction of an existing taxiway among other improvements. The draft EIR is available online at www.san.org.
The next Airport Authority board meeting is set for Thursday, March 6 at the International Airport Commuter Terminal, 3rd Floor, Wright Bros. Conference Room, 3225 North Harbor Drive.