The approvals keep rolling in for the big LAX modernization plan: yesterday afternoon a joint session of the City Council's Planning and Land Use and Commerce, Trade, and Tourism Committees gave the $4.76-billion project the thumbs up. The lone "no" vote came from outgoing Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, who represents the area. Rosendahl supports the plan--which includes terminal upgrades, a consolidated rental car facility, light rail links, and new parking areas--except for the contentious move of the airport's northern runway, according the LA Times. Los Angeles World Airports, which runs LAX, says the runway move is needed to improve safety and to make it easier for large planes to land.
But Rosendahl wants us to know that the residents fighting the plan are no NIMBYs. They just, as the Daily News puts it, "favor regionalism - or the philosophy of spreading air traffic to other area airports, like Ontario and Burbank." So, you know, other people's backyards. The full modernization plan still needs to be approved by the full City Council and county Board of Supervisors. And that's only the beginning--each element of the modernization project will then need to be approved individually before any work can get started. Another potential speed bump is a group called Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion, which is considering filing a lawsuit saying the environmental impacts of the plan weren't thoroughly considered.
· L.A. City Council panels back plan to move LAX runway [LAT]
· Los Angeles City Council committees endorse LAX improvement plans [DN]
· Huge LAX Modernization: Runway Moves, People Mover, More [Curbed LA]
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