LAX Status Update -May 2010

LAX

The LAX Master Plan process is restarting year-end with a Notice of Preparation and new Environmental Review. Current improvements at Tom Bradley are progressing as well as the first of two midfield taxiways. The Central Utilities Plan replacement is progressing. Up scaled concessions are being added in terminals with more tied to the new construction. Numerous small maintenance projects continue. Upper terminal roadway repair to replace failed expansion joints remains an open issue since first identified by CalTrans in 2003. Auto traffic remains a problem at terminals although the number of people using LAX remains down but is improving slightly. Nothing is happening with the Consolidated Rental Car facility which could help traffic concerns by reducing the many buses.

The report to end all reports, The Final Northside Runway Safety Study, by the Academic Panel (AP) who have done much lauded FAA work in the past and NASA was released last week. The controversy continues. The AP draft report stated that the runways are already extremely safe and that only nominal safety improvements (though significant percentage) would be gained by moving north, wiping out substantial portions of the Westchester Business District. The FAA criticized the AP draft report demanding runway movement only to have the AP respond that they used FAA information and followed their FAA policy—something not done in its criticism of the report. The AP continues to state that the only valid justification for moving the runways is expansion, not safety. The Controllers Union, NATCA, wrote a position paper which agreed with the AP. Fully trained, adequate controller staffing of the tower remains an open FAA issue. Meanwhile, quicker and cheaper safety improvements resulting from moving taxiways has been identified but not started.

Van Nuys

Beginning July 1, 2009 LAWA will initiate a new online flight tracking and aircraft noise complaint entry system calledWebTrak. The Community Response Line for noise complaints is (800) 560-0010. The phaseout of stage 2 aircraft (there are exceptions for historical and military aircraft) is proceeding and the Part 161 Study supporting a request to the FAA is almost complete.