Fast Trains Can Link Regional Airports

It’s about time that the L.A. region begins to think about alternatives to expanding LAX and other close-in regional airports (“An Airport Solution That Might Really Fly,” Voices, July 19). Building a new major airport at Palmdale and connecting it to LAX via fast train service makes far more sense -- and will likely be less expensive -- than Mayor James Hahn’s proposal (spending $9 billion to rearrange the deck chairs on the LAX “Titanic,” with no increase in regional capacity). A new airport/fast train combo would add regional capacity, allow LAX air traffic to shrink to a safer level and yet allow the LAX/Palmdale airports to operate essentially as a single, giant “hub.”

I see two important elements missing in this proposal, however: Focusing only on a new airport in north L.A. County is a mistake. The burgeoning area of the Inland Empire also will require greatly increased airport services, whether by a new or enlarged Inland Empire airport or by fast train connections to LAX/Palmdale. Also, the proposal should be integrated with a fast train system linking all major population centers of our “super-region” -- from San Diego to the Bay Area, and from L.A. to Phoenix and Las Vegas. The value this latter piece of the plan would provide is the ability to reduce flights in and out of the “super region” by up to 30% (by shifting most short-haul flights to fast trains).

Michael Smith

Mission Viejo