Expansion Plans for LAX

Re “Battle Over LAX Expansion Leaves Behind Turbulence,” May 29: Mayor Richard Riordan has many business interests in Los Angeles. He has no interest in letting any area other than Los Angeles benefit from expanding airports in the L.A. area.

Expanding the existing airport makes no sense--there is no more room for expansion. LAX is landlocked. Not to mention the traffic gridlock that already exists. L.A. and the MTA allowed the Green Line rail to be dumped into El Segundo instead of LAX--no forethought whatsoever.

DENNIS CARTER

Palmdale

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I am a resident of Playa del Rey and chair of Opportunity LAX, an organization dedicated to supporting a LAX Master Plan process. The LAX Master Plan process provides the surrounding communities and the region the opportunity to set forth a vision for a more efficient, economical and competitive airport to accommodate the inevitable growth of international and domestic commerce.

Why is it so hard for those opposing the LAX Master Plan process to realize that this process is the only vehicle that will enable us to examine opportunities for improving LAX? The Master Plan can be the manual that will find solutions to traffic congestion, environmental concerns, noise control and air safety, as well as providing the region with higher-paying jobs, diverse trade/commerce and local community benefits.

Opportunity LAX supports the concept that there must be a regional solution to meeting the demands of increased commerce and passengers into Southern California. LAX alone will not be the solution. However, while other airports should be studied as alternatives, we cannot ignore, maintain the status quo or slow down the process of improving LAX. Our current capacity at LAX is inadequate. More than anything else the lack of planning and improvements over the years to the existing infrastructure and facilities has adversely impacted the surrounding communities.

CHRISTOPHER C. PAK

Playa del Rey

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One reason being given for expanding the capacity of LAX is that otherwise increasing air traffic and the accompanying jobs will go to other cities, like Seattle and Denver. As a resident of Southern California I can only say: good.

When are people going to realize that in an area of essentially full employment, increasing jobs is a zero-sum game? Additional people will move into the area to fill those jobs. What results is an unchanged unemployment rate with an increased population and its well-known problems of added pollution, congestion, etc.

FRANK W. GRUENTHAL

Camarillo

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Today’s jet airplanes are dinosaurs. Only when a truly quiet and nonpolluting engine can be built for airplanes will the controversies over expansion of airports or buildings of new ones be resolved.

PATRICIA KAISER

Inglewood