AGENCY TO HOLD STUDY ON AIRPORT EXPANSION.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

A regional governmental agency will conduct a $1.2 million study of Southern California's aviation needs, including examining the possibility of expanding Palmdale Airport.

The study by the Southern California Association of Governments will look at capacity in the airport system, air cargo and associated issues of ground access, and economic benefits, officials said.

``Palmdale will be included,'' said Tim Merwin, aviation principal at SCAG. ``We've examined it. It has some potential. It's not a replacement for LAX, but we are supportive of it acquiring as much air service as it can.''

The study will look at the expansion potential of Southern California airports as the region contends with a projected crunch of airline passengers.

The number of air passengers is expected to rise to 157 million by 2020, more than double the 1995 total of 74 million, according to SCAG officials.

Los Angeles International Airport wants to add runways and terminals, pushing 40 million more passengers per year through its gates by 2015.

LAX officials say they have a plan to take care of the extra traffic on surrounding streets and roads. But opponents are wary about whether the plan will work and are even more skeptical that money is available. They say Los Angeles should focus on expanding Palmdale Airport, which uses Air Force Plant 42 runways, and building a bullet train to it. At present, Palmdale has no commercial air service. Palmdale lost its last commuter airline in April, the third in six years to pull out for lack of business.

Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, announced Tuesday a $855,000 grant from the Department of Transportation to help fund the study, calling it a major boost for backers of the Palmdale airport.

McKeon urged SCAG to use the study to take a serious look at the merits of expanding Palmdale Airport, rather than LAX.

``I have long advocated a regional solution to this problem,'' McKeon said in a written statement. ``Los Angeles World Airports already owns 17,000 acres for (Palmdale Airport) expansion, and it will cost a lot less to build there than to expand LAX.''

According to the agreement by which commercial passenger planes can use the Air Force runways, Los Angeles officials are prohibited from building their own airport until commercial air operations reach a combined 400 landings and takeoffs a day at Plant 42.

The study will be included in SCAG's regional transportation plan, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 1999. It will be overseen by an aviation task force made up of elected officials, airport operators and airline representatives.

``The billions of dollars that will go into expanding LAX could be put into a bullet train and highway improvements connecting Los Angeles to Palmdale,'' McKeon said. ``Even without those improvements, Palmdale is more convenient than LAX for millions of people, when you take into consideration the traffic on I-405 and the ease of parking of Palmdale.''