PLANNED BUILDUP OF LAX CUT BACK.

Byline: Beth Barrett Staff Writer

Sharply scaling back plans for expanding Los Angeles International Airport, city officials proposed a $12 billion package Wednesday that uses existing runways, adds a new terminal and cargo facilities and would take massive steps to improve road, freeway and rail access.

Los Angeles World Airports executive director Lydia Kennard said the staff recommendation attempts to reduce the scope of LAX expansion by encouraging increased use of Palmdale, Ontario and other airports in the region.

``We are trying to achieve responsible growth, and to be far more sensitive to the neighborhoods than we have been in the past,'' Kennard said.

The plan, six years and $60 million in the making, calls for lengthening and reconfiguring the existing four runways over the next 15 years to allow the number of passengers to grow from 65 million per year to up to 89 million annually - vs. the nearly 100 million passengers previously proposed.

It recommends extending the MTA's Green Line and the Century Freeway to LAX, and building a connecting expressway off the 405 Freeway, north of the airport.

Despite the scaling back, community political leaders in the LAX area remained critical, citing past promises of neighborhood improvements that were never fulfilled.

``They convince everyone it's a good idea to do all these improvements, then they do the expansion and then don't do the improvements,'' said City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, who represents the neighborhoods around LAX.

El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon, leader of a coalition of dozens of Southern California communities opposed to the LAX expansion in favor of regional airport development, said even though no additional runways are recommended, lengthening existing runways for bigger jets could unleash uncontrollable growth at the airport.

``This latest incarnation is a lot of smoke and mirrors,'' Gordon said.

The LAX master plan's 12,000 pages of technical documents are to be released Jan. 18.

The public will have six months to comment on the master plan, which includes the staff recommendation and three other options. After public hearings, the plan will go before the City Council.

Board of Airport Commissioners President John Agoglia said the master plan includes a number of community protections, including a budget schedule that makes many of the transportation improvements ``right up front.''

He estimated between $3 billion and $4 billion will go into those traffic improvements, including extension of the Green Line rail to passenger terminals.

Transportation improvements also are being driven by an anticipated increase in freight by 2015, from 3.1 million annual tons without improvements to 4.2 million tons a year with them - a key to the region's economic growth, Agoglia said.

Kennard said if the plan is approved and funded, the mitigations would be mandatory.

Galanter and others questioned how a proposed expressway running off the 405 Freeway north of LAX and a ring road connecting to passenger terminals could be built without condemning large swaths of valuable real estate.

Agoglia said the airport anticipates acquiring old railroad rights of way. Kennard said the entire project should require acquiring only a few pieces of private property.

Galanter, the council's leading proponent of expanding regional airports, including Palmdale, criticized spending billions of dollars to ``move all the buildings around all over the airport,'' when new facilities for international and other flights could be built at Palmdale.

Kennard said the department understands that most of the future aviation demand will have to be absorbed by outlying airports, but that LAX's aviation demand also must be addressed.

``We fully support the regional distribution of new demand,'' Kennard said.

In that vein, the commission on Tuesday agreed to issue requests for proposals to do similar master plans for Ontario and Palmdale airports, she said.

The LAX master plan does not include a detailed analysis of those regional options long sought by advocates of a regional aviation solution.

In the past couple years, Riordan and other city leaders have retreated from building more runways that would have vastly increased airport capacity amid complaints from neighbors.

Riordan supports the current plan, spokesman Ben Austin said.

``The LAX expansion is important to maintain the safety of air passengers and to further promote business growth in the Los Angeles area,'' Austin said.

THE DETAILS

Key elements in the staff-recommended master plan for the expansion of Los Angeles International Airport:

No new runways: Some of the four existing runways would be lengthened or reconfigured, and taxiways improved, to handle larger jets. By 2015, the airport runways would have a capacity of 89 million passengers per year - about 9 million less than previously proposed.

Improved or new international and domestic terminals: A new western terminal is planned to relieve congestion in the present Central Terminal Area. New customs facilities also are proposed to enhance LAX as an international port of entry.

Transportation improvements:

-- A four-lane LAX Expressway would be built from the San Diego Freeway north to the airport for nonstop access.

-- The Green Line rail would be extended to terminals, and to an internal People Mover rail system running between new parking areas, car rental companies and concourses.

-- The Century Freeway would be extended to link directly with LAX.

-- A ring road would be built around the airport, providing easier access with less gridlock.

-- More FlyAway locations - like the one in Van Nuys - would be established in the region.

Cargo facility improvements: New construction would allow for the handling of 4.2 million tons of freight a year by 2015.

Source: Los Angeles World Airports

CAPTION(S):

map, box

Map: RECOMMENDED MASTER PLAN

Gregg Miller/Staff Artist

Box: THE DETAILS (See text)