NEW AIRFIELD AT LAX CENTER OF CONTROVERSY MODERNIZATION-PLAN CRITICS NOT SURE PROJECT IS NEEDED.

Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer

City officials will begin another round of hearings next week on plans to build a new $2 billion north airfield at LAX -- the most expensive and contentious of the airport's modernization projects.

Four alternatives are being studied for the upgraded northern airfield, which proponents say is needed to accommodate the next generation of larger aircraft and keep the traveling public safe. The project is one of several controversial projects that were ``yellow-lighted'' in the original modernization plan, meaning they required additional environmental review before they could proceed.

``We think this shows we are taking the public criticism we received seriously and are reaching out to the public and not forcing anything on them,'' said Nick Johnson, aviation planning consultant to LAX.

``This is the very beginning of the process and we want people to know their input is important.''

But, not all of the critics of the modernization plan are convinced the airfield is necessary. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl and Rep. Jane Harman, D-El Segundo, said they want to consider all of the arguments before deciding whether to approve it.

Needs convincing

``I have to be convinced by the FAA that there is a safety issue,'' Rosendahl said. ``I will be meeting with the FAA in January to show me where there is a problem. I'm not commenting on any of the options until we are clear about the safety issue.''

Harman said she is concerned that in reconfiguring airport runways and terminals, Los Angeles World Airports officials are trying to get around a promise to cap passenger traffic at 78.5 million a year -- a provision included in a settlement ending lawsuits challenging the modernization plan.

In a letter sent last month to LAWA Executive Director Lydia Kennard, Harman reiterated her opposition to any effort to increase passenger traffic.

``You and your staff claim that the north runway must be moved due to safety concerns, but I have not seen any documentation providing such justification,'' Harman wrote.

``And, I fear that a western terminal is being proposed to undermine the growth cap, enabling gates to be in place when the current settlement agreement expires. Let me be clear, ... I will do everything necessary to protect (the settlement) from being altered or broken.''

The most controversial element of the plan -- building a ground transportation center at Manchester Square -- has been abandoned. However, airport officials plan to buy out property owners and possibly use the site as a buffer from airport noise.

But, officials consider the remaining elements crucial to deal with problems such as runway incursions, as well as being able to accommodate the Airbus 380, a gigantic new 555-seat, double-deck passenger jet.

Runways 24R and 24L on the existing north airfield now handle nearly half of all aircraft traffic at LAX. Each is considered too short to accommodate the newer aircraft and too close to the other to be safe.

Various options

Under the different proposals being studied:

Option 1: Runway 24R would be extended from 8,925 to 10,420 feet and Terminals 1, 2 and 3 would be reconfigured. Runway 24L would be extended from 10,285 to 11,700 feet and moved 340 feet south to provide for a center taxiway for arriving and departing aircraft.

Option 2: Runway 24R would be moved 340 feet to the north to accommodate a center taxiway. Runway 24L would be extended to 11,700 feet.

Option 3: Runway 24L would be shifted 100 feet to the south, and existing taxiways would be rebuilt. An estimated 16 to 20 passenger gates in the terminals would be eliminated.

Option 4: Runway 24R would be shifted 100 feet to the north. That would impact gates at Terminal 3 and in the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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IF YOU GO:

Hearings on proposed changes to the north airfield at LAX are scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Dec. 6 and 9 a.m.-noon Dec. 9 at the LAX Flight Path Learning Center Museum, 6661 W. Imperial Highway, Los Angeles. Copies of the LAX Master Plan are available at www.laxmasterplan.org or at www.lawa.org.

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