COUNTYWIDE : Repairs Planned on Airport Garage Leak

John Wayne Airport officials said they will begin sealing a leaky parking garage roof on Monday and should have the work done within four to six weeks.

Fifteen people have filed claims against the county alleging that the paint on their cars was damaged by dripping lime, a component of mortar. County officials said on Monday that they will pay legitimate claims through an insurance carrier.

On Monday, airport officials said they were unaware of any plan to fix the leaks and that previous policy was to allow all three new parking garages to settle for a few months. One of the garages, called the Southwest Parking Structure, appeared to seal itself, officials had said.

But on Tuesday, airport spokeswoman Courtney Wiercioch said a group of staffers who oversee the airport’s $310-million expansion program actually had formulated plans on Dec. 19 to fix the leaky, $25-million Northwest Parking Structure, site of the latest dripping.

Work crews will use epoxy materials to seal cracks in the garage.

Cost figures were not available late Tuesday.

The Northwest Parking Structure was built by two firms, the first of which was fired for alleged mistakes and tardiness. That firm, Taylor Woodrow California Construction Ltd., has sued the county, claiming that it was wrongfully dismissed from the project.

The structure was finished by McCarthy Brothers Construction of Irvine and opened on Sept. 16, the same day as the new, $63-million Thomas F. Riley Terminal, built by Taylor Woodrow.