Campo, Imperial airport sites would cost billions
By: MARK WALKER - Staff Writer | ∞
SAN DIEGO ---- Constructing a new commercial airport near Campo or in Imperial County and linking it to central San Diego County would require more than $10 billion in high-speed rail, utility and roadway construction, according to a report reviewed Monday.
The report, presented to a planning committee of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, showed an Imperial County site would require $13.2 billion in rail, utility and roadway enhancements while one in Campo would need an investment of $10.2 billion.
Most of the costs would be in construction of a magnetic levitation train, a potential link now being studied by a consultant at the request of U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego. Filner helped secure funding in the most recent transportation bill passed by Congress to study construction of a train powered through magnetic levitation technology.
Building a bullet train to Imperial County would cost an estimated $10.6 billion, while building one to Campo is estimated to cost about $8.1 billion.
Construction of a new airport itself is projected to cost somewhere between $5 billion and $10 billion. The new airport in Denver, the nation's newest airport that is comparable in size to what the authority wants to build, cost a little more than $5 billion when it was completed a few years ago.
Authority board member Xema Jacobson said the financial projections represent the first step in determining the feasibility of airport sites in Campo or Imperial. A high-speed train also could serve as a cargo carrier from the Unified Port of San Diego to Imperial County, which could result in lessening the costs of construction for the airport authority.
Campo, Imperial and an expansion of downtown San Diego's existing Lindbergh Field are the only civilian sites that remain on the authority's original list of 32 potential new airport locations.
The authority says it needs a dual-runway airport encompassing about 3,000 acres to meet the region's future air cargo and passenger demand.
Lindbergh, the nation's busiest single-runway airport, is forecast to be unable to handle expected growth in passenger and cargo demand by about the year 2020. The authority is required by the state Legislature to come up with a recommendation for a new or expanded airport by next year. Whatever it ultimately decides will go before San Diego County voters in the form of an advisory vote in November 2006.
A fourth civilian site, one near Borrego Springs, is officially still on the list but is not being further studied because of its remote location and only existing link being two-lane highways from the south and west.
About to be studied are possible "shared use" airports at three county military bases, Camp Pendleton, North Island Naval Air Station and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. The bases also will be examined to see if any can accommodate an entirely new airport. Such an airport would be built with a combination of federal grants and airport revenues derived from lease agreements with vendors, airlines and a small passenger facility charge attached to each airline ticket.
No formal action was taken by the committee on Monday. It did, however, direct staffers to report back on Jan. 23 with a full list of possible single-runway airport sites that could serve as a supplement to Lindbergh, said Angela Shafer-Payne, head of strategic planning.
Board member Mary Sessom last week asked the authority to take another look at a site east of Escondido known as Rancho Guejito. The site was considered in 2002 but dropped.
Contact staff writer Mark Walker at (760) 740-3529 or mlwalker@nctimes.com.
More Stories
Advertisement
Rodney wrote on Dec 26, 2005 9:53 PM: San Diego’s civic leaders, consultants, and politicians need to provide better solutions to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority then the proposed recommendation to construct a new commercial airport near Campo or in Imperial County, costing taxpayers billions of dollars is a non-starter. There needs to be placed on the ballet for next November a measure, that would allow the community to weigh-in on this issue. It would ask; “Would you support to keep Lindbergh Field in its current location, and allow for a public-private partnership to build a maglev high-speed train to link Lindberg Field to a proposed cross-border terminal in Otay Mesa and to four additional airports located in Orange and Los Angeles Counties?” The answer to this question would send a clear message to our congressional delegation to take back to Washington. Lindbergh Field; an International Airport located only two miles from the center of downtown should be recognized for its unique contribution and value to the community. A world-class facility that will require upgrading to handle additional passengers, overnight and express freight, and provide for a new multi-modal terminal; to allow for the smooth transfer of passengers between connecting trains and their flights. This project; is being supported by Sandor Shapery, a local developer; who has taken an active role in promoting a positive vision for San Diego’s future. Mr. Shapery has proposed the San Diego/Los Angeles Maglev High-speed Train; you can go to http://www.sdlamaglev.org to view a video explaining the project and for additional information. Mr. Shapery’s proposal if adopted, would link the proposed Tijuana International Cross-border Terminal, with stops at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal, Lindbergh Field; with additional stops at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and at the Oceanside-Sprinter rail stop for local commuters. For passengers continuing on to Orange and Los Angeles Counties; would be riding on a cushion of air, along an elevated guideway, at speeds of up to 310 miles per hour. The Maglev High-speed Train would provide travelers with seamless connections with four additional Southern California airports including John Wayne Airport, Long Beach Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and to Ontario Airport. The creation of a maglev high-speed train would connect five airports in the region all within an hour of Lindbergh Field. Passengers onboard the maglev would travel in a secure and safe environment having already passed through airport security; their luggage handled by the airports baggage handling system. This would allow airlines to better balance flight scheduling at our regional airports; which would allow for shorter airport check-in times for better on-time performance by the airlines. The maglev high-speed trains would provide regular connections between San Diego and Los Angeles; with environmental compatibility in mind this fully integrated transportation system would be vastly safer, more efficient, and quieter at moving people and freight; resulting in decreased freeway and airline traffic; and reduced dependence on fossil fuels, saving us millions of gallons of fuel each year.
Shelton wrote on Apr 16, 2008 10:08 AM:The Airport soloution can be solved with strong leadership from the Navy, Marines and the congress. The Military should take this opportunity to propose that the State/City and/or Airport Authority Finance the building of a Recruit Training Facility in the San Diego East County for the Marines and agree to preserve Historical buildings at MRCD. The non historical buildings could then be demolished to make room for expanding Lindbergh Field.
First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.
Today's Stories
Advertisement