Federal funds may improve John Wayne runways

Paul Clinton

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- Airport officials hope to secure approval from

the Orange County Board of Supervisors at today’s meeting for an

$8.4-million package of improvements for the airport’s taxiways and

roadways.

Airport Director Alan Murphy will ask the board to approve the

package, which would be funded mostly with a federal grant.

“This grant will help us improve airport conditions,” said airport

spokeswoman Yolanda Perez. “Some of those elements are definitely to

create a safer environment.”

Murphy and his staff have proposed four related projects to be

completed in the next year. The work would cover improvements to two

taxiways, the airport’s inner perimeter road and upgrades to the security

system inside the Thomas F. Riley Terminal.

Airport crews plan to resurface Taxiway Echo, a high-speed exit

taxiway that gets heavy use from commercial flights. If the project is

approved, bids would go out in July. If all goes as planned, the project

would be completed by spring 2003.

The taxiway would be shut down while the work is performed. Commercial

flights would be sent to the south end of the 5,700-foot commercial

runway for takeoff.

Airport officials also hope to reconfigure Taxiway Gulf and Taxiway

Hotel. The Y-shaped roadways, used chiefly by general aviation planes to

reach the runway, would be combined into one road. The two roads have

tended to confuse pilots of private jets heading to the 2,887-foot

general aviation runway for takeoff, Perez said.

That project would go to bid in July. Construction would begin in

October and wrap up by spring 2002.

A revamp of the airport’s perimeter road, which loops inside the

perimeter fence, is also planned. The board will consider the first of

two phases of the project -- from about Paularino Avenue to the Corona

del Mar Freeway. Bids would go out in July. The project would be

completed by December 2002.

The closed-circuit television sets and identification-card readers

inside the terminal would also be upgraded.

The airport would apply to the Federal Aviation Administration for a

$6.77-million grant to pay for the bulk of the cost of the improvements.

The supervisors must come up with $1.63 million to leverage the funding.

FAA grant funds would make up about 80% of the costs, while airport

operating funds would cover the remainder.

In another matter, supervisors will consider launching the

environmental review of Newport Beach’s proposed extension of the 1985

settlement agreement. The city has proposed increasing the cap on annual

passengers in exchange for continuation of a handful of flight

restrictions.