Airport Commission to consider parking structure project

Paul Clinton

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- Extending the flight cap and curfew won’t be the

only hot topic at John Wayne Airport in the new year. Another potential

barnburner -- airport parking -- will take center stage Wednesday at the

Orange County Airport Commission meeting.

The group will consider advertising for bids to seismic retrofit two

of the four airport parking structures. The work, expected to begin in

the spring, will cause a rotating closure of about 800 spaces in the two

lots.

The construction firm that wins the bid on the $3.8-million project

will probably begin work in April on the two lots -- the 1,572-space A-1

structure and 1,400-space B-1 structure.

Three other airport parking areas will be available during

construction. The airport has plans to institute valet parking at that

time to alleviate any congestion.

The Airport Commission will also consider recommending a $55,000

additional payment to Irvine-based HNTB Corp. for engineering work on the

repaving of Taxiway Lima.

The airport has already begun to repave the 75-by-700-foot taxiway.

The additional outlay would bring design costs on the project, approved

by the Orange County Board of Supervisors in January 1998, to $495,963.

The work began Aug. 24 and will be completed by mid-January. The

taxiway was constructed in 1964 and has begun to show signs of wear. The

airport is splitting the costs of the project with the Federal Aviation

Administration, paying 20% to the agency’s 80%.

“It will be more durable,” said airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley. “For

the long run, it will need less frequent maintenance.”

At the meeting, the five-member panel will also consider recommending

the county hire a public relations firm to prepare the annual report. The

worth of three-year contract with Irvine-based NCG Porter Novelli can not

exceed $200,000.

The meeting will be at 5 p.m. in the commission’s hearing room at the

Eddie Martin building, 3160 Airway Ave., Costa Mesa.