Airport Debate

Airport solution could be in Costa Mesa

If Orange County Fair officials are successful in their bid to move to

the former El Toro Marine Base, vacating 160 acres in Costa Mesa, what a

wonderful opportunity this will be for Orange County (“Orange County Fair

leaders eye land at closed Marine base,” April 18).

Since a large airport at El Toro now seems out of the question, the

county’s economy could get a tremendous boost from locating a small

airport in Costa Mesa. Perhaps this can be an airport for helicopters and

small corporate jets. In addition to the boost for the economy, this

would also relieve some of the pressure on John Wayne Airport.

Costa Mesa residents fly out of John Wayne, and they should be willing

to take some of the burden off Newport Beach. Perhaps the runways can be

configured in a V-fashion so that takeoffs and landings can be over

Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley.

Before Costa Mesa residents object, I suggest we do some test flights

to show them that a small airport in their city will not be a problem.

MARTIN A. BROWER

Corona del Mar

Centerline expansion could hurt JWA

Costa Mesa is one of three cities (besides Santa Ana and Irvine) that

the proposed Centerline would run through. However, by supporting its

current alignment, Costa Mesa is unwittingly setting up more growth for

nearby John Wayne Airport. That’s because it is one of the proposed

stations on the route.

Since Irvine and South County refused to do their share of the

region’s air transportation demand with an airport at El Toro, the very

least that should happen is for them to be rewarded with cheap and

convenient transportation to John Wayne.

They should be forced to sit in traffic and pay the $17 parking fee

just like the rest of us in Orange County have to.

If the people of Costa Mesa still really want light rail, then send it

toward high-traffic places like Orange Coast College, Triangle Square or

even Western Orange County.

Under no circumstances should they ever connect with the city of

Irvine. Or they will only encourage more growth of John Wayne Airport,

thus creating added pressure for massive expansion.

REX RICKS

Huntington Beach

Everyone should bear transportation woes

If one reads the paper at all, it would seem that a lot of information

is withheld from the public by our elected officials (and the news media)

and that deals are made for various reasons that none of us will ever

know about.

Before the election, Orange County did not need to expand our air

travel needs; now it seems we are in dire need to shoulder our share of

Southern California air travel needs.

Didn’t someone in local politics know that the Navy would immediately

move to sell the El Toro land? Didn’t someone know about a bill to limit

transportation funds to areas that did not share in the air travel needs

of Southern California?

Some of our elected officials have let us down for their own area’s

interest. These officials certainly should represent the area that they

are elected to, but they have an obligation to look to the future of

Orange County and Southern California also.

It is time for all local government officials at all levels to take a

serious look at the future of our county and our state. Accept the fact

that we should share in the transportation needs of our state. Don’t send

our problems or our revenue out of the county.

Everyone can work together to make a great complex at El Toro that

includes an airport. The flight path should not even be an issue; it

should be planned after the approval of the airport to benefit all.

Without an airport at El Toro, Orange County will be taking a step

backward -- a big step backward.

DAVE STIEVE

Santa Ana Heights