Some people who live near Los Angeles International Airport criticized modernization and expansion plans at a public hearing, the first of three that will be held this week.
"Between the noise and the flyovers, we're doomed," said Playa Del Re resident Joyce Maleady in an interview Saturday with NBC4. Additional public sessions will be held in downtown Los Angeles and in Westchester this week to allow the public to comment on the proposed master plan revisions, which include demolishing and relocating three terminals and shifting some of the northern runways to the south.
Earlier this summer, LAX officials released a list of nine major projects proposed for the airport. The options include a centralized ground transportation hub, and relocating terminals 1, 2 and 3 to allow for new taxiways and runway configurations.
The airport routinely ranks near the bottom of surveys for efficiency and convenience, and airport officials have sought to relocate the northern pair of runways to allow for a midfield taxiway and other safety and operational improvements. Some of the improvements are intended to accommodate larger aircraft that are coming onto the market, and to keep LAX competitive with San Francisco International Airport as a business and tourism gateway.
A coalition of business and labor groups is using that argument. The proposals are online at laxspas.org and comments may be filed there. Additional meetings and hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., and at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Proud Bird Restaurant, 11022 Aviation Blvd., Westchester. The ultimate decision will be made by the L.A. city council next year, LAX officials said.
