Marine Helicopters to Make Way for New Highway

A new helicopter pad officially opened at Camp Pendleton Friday to make way for a major public highway through the Marine Corps Air Station at Tustin.

Part of the training for Marine helicopter crews at the Tustin base moved to a remote area at Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego County to eventually allow a six-lane extension of Jamboree Boulevard, which would have interfered with the training at Tustin.

The $18-million road and the new $1.8-million helicopter pad is part of a joint effort of the Marine Corps, the cities of Tustin and Irvine and the Irvine Co. The road is scheduled to be completed in 1989.

“This is a major achievement in our joint effort with the cities of Irvine and Tustin to extend Jamboree Boulevard through the Marine base and create a major north-south arterial extending from the ocean to Santiago Canyon Road in the Orange foothills,” said C. Bradley Olson, president of the Irvine Community Development Co., a division of the Irvine Co.

Tustin and Irvine city officials, Marines, and officials of the Irvine Co. were present Friday for the official opening of the new training pad, which is the size of two football fields.

Bob Ledendecker, director of public works for Tustin, said the project represents a “significant joint effort between the public and private sectors in cooperation with the federal government.”

“The resulting road improvements will directly relieve traffic congestion on Red Hill Avenue and Culver Drive and will greatly benefit residents in both Tustin and Irvine,” he said.

Brig. Gen. David V. Shuter, commander of Marine Corps air bases in the western area and commanding general of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, called the new helicopter pad a “success story” that started on time and was completed on time.

Under the agreement that was approved in 1986, Irvine will pay for 46% of the cost of the helicopter pad and new highway, Tustin will pay 18%, and the Irvine Co. will contribute 36%.