Southland Airport Needs

“Even if El Toro (airport) is built,” concludes urban analyst Steven P. Erie (“Developing Outlying Airports Won’t End Region’s Crisis,” Opinion, May 10), “it would be able to capture only a modest share of LAX’s market.” Indeed, it’s the expansion of Los Angeles International Airport, suggests Erie, which is key to meeting the future demand for air transport in Southern California.

If Erie’s right, then why is Orange County tearing itself asunder over the future reuse of El Toro? The ongoing political turmoil seems so senseless and counterproductive when compared to the modest impact an El Toro Airport would have on addressing Southern California’s air transport needs.

Maybe it’s time for a regional approach to Southern California’s regional air transport needs. Only a lack of leadership stands in the way of such an approach.

MARK P. PETRACCA

Irvine

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* I missed something in Erie’s article. He discussed prospects as far as 63 miles north of downtown L.A. (Palmdale) to 97 miles south (John Wayne). How did he miss close-in Long Beach with its 10,000-foot runway?

JOSEPH A. BLIGH

Lakewood

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* It was encouraging to see that Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) has added her voice to the Los Angeles area citizens opposed to Mayor Richard Riordan’s LAX expansion plans (May 8).

On the same day, The Times reported the Southern California Assn. of Governments’ projections for Southern California population growth in the next 22 years. Guess what? The greatest percentage growth (169%) is in northern L.A. County. Isn’t it time to consider putting airport resources in the region where the growth is going to be, where it is wanted and where Los Angeles already owns sufficient property to build a safe international gateway airport?

PAUL J. COONY

Westchester

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* Mayor Riordan wants to double the size of LAX but seems unaware of the enormous cumulative impact of such expansion. Plans for construction of the proposed nearby Playa Vista, at three times the size of Century City, will generate as many as 200,000 additional vehicle trips per day where traffic is already often gridlocked. It would make Ballona Wetlands, the proposed site of Playa Vista, the fourth-largest source of air pollution in the area. And, that’s before enlarging LAX.

What’s needed is to take into account the fact that Ballona is the last remaining major wetlands in Los Angeles County, a vital link in the Pacific flyway, an essential resource for the health of inshore marine life and potentially a tremendous public open space. If Steven Spielberg’s plans to build DreamWorks studios in the wetlands were to be located elsewhere, I believe that funds could be found to acquire most of Ballona and reduce the traffic impact on LAX.

ELLEN STERN HARRIS

Fund for the Environment

Beverly Hills