COMMENTARY : Rail Link Between Airports Is Vital to Future Air Systems : Planning: New terminal at John Wayne is a blessing, but development of Southland fields must continue in order to meet the needs of the 1990s.

Next Sunday the new Thomas F. Riley Terminal at John Wayne Airport is scheduled to open to air traffic. To the more than 4.5 million passengers annually that have passed through the old facility, it is much more than a welcome relief.

By all accounts the new terminal, as it has been developed, is a success and will be seen by its users as a definitive step forward in commercial aviation air service in Southern California.

John Wayne is also notable in that it is operating under a settlement agreement with the communities that was approved by the courts and that provided the basis for the master planning that has led to the new terminal’s development. The plan provides for 8.4 million passengers for the facility annually.

This capacity will continue to serve the local communities until the growth of the Southern California and Orange County markets surpasses the capacity of John Wayne.

What then?

The most logical answer appears to be the joint use of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. This, however, may not face political reality. Other alternatives, I am sure, will continue to be explored to meet the future needs of Orange County.

In Los Angeles, the city and the county are counting heavily on the development of the Palmdale Airport, which is close enough to the San Fernando Valley and adjacent area to be able to serve a significant role in the development of adequate airport capacity for Los Angeles County and portions of Ventura County.

The Palmdale Airport will, of course, operate at an even higher level than is currently envisioned after the rail system proposed by DMJM/Perini is implemented, connecting LAX, by way of the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita area, to Palmdale.

But until that airport comes on line in a significant way, Southern California passengers must use the existing facilities.

John Wayne, of course, is limited by the court-approved agreement.

Long Beach, currently in litigation, is limited by its City Council action in response to community concerns.

Burbank is limited by the size of its noise contour, and Ontario is limited by the level of 12 million passengers placed by the Air Resources Board.

So all significant air passenger service growth, until the planned rail systems are in place, must be absorbed at Los Angeles and Ontario International airports.

There has been a recent downturn in domestic demand and passenger growth rates. That will provide a breathing spell. However, international traffic continues to increase at a significant rate auguring a positive, and absolutely necessary, future access for trade and commerce in the Southern California region.

The Los Angeles Department of Airports is in the process of completing an updating of the environmental impact report for the construction of terminal and associated facilities in order to accommodate the 12-million-passenger limit at Ontario.

At LAX, the Airport Commission has authorized a goal-setting process in order to establish the needs for passenger and cargo handling facilities through the year 2000 and beyond. This process will be made a part of the updating of the airport plan element of the city’s master plan.

Preliminary assessments of need indicate a demand for 29 additional aircraft parking gates and 2 million square feet of new terminal area to meet market demand.

It remains to be seen how much of the market will be accommodated.

The Los Angeles master plan process will clarify to what extent a reasonable level of convenience can be maintained within the region.

In the meantime, every effort must be made to expand the already-operating Palmdale airport and bring it into the mainstream. This can only be accomplished by the earliest possible introduction of a rail system connecting the airfield to the population centers.

Let us tip our hats, then, to those responsible for the development of the new Thomas F. Riley Terminal at John Wayne. In its new role it is a positive force in the overall development of adequate regional air transportion facilities.