$500M Pledged to Bring Transit, Major Road Improvements to San Diego Airport -- with Help from Airlines

   Jul. 3--In a move to ease access to the San Diego airport, more than a half-billion dollars has been pledged toward future transportation projects, which could include high-speed transit options like a people mover or trolley extension. The funding commitment, announced Tuesday, is contained within a new 10-year agreement between the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority and its airline partners, from Southwest and Alaska airlines to United, American and Delta. The agreement, which establishes the various fees the airlines pay to help fund airport operations, calls for an increase in those levies, which can include landing fees and rents for terminal space. Over the course of the next 10 years, the per passenger fee all airlines pay to the Airport Authority will double, officials say. While it is not known yet which transit or roadway projects would qualify for the funding, airport officials say the financial contribution from the airlines now makes it possible to set aside a sizable chunk of money to help pay for costly transportation improvements. Easier access to the airport via transit and added roadways will be needed as part of a planned $3 billion redevelopment of the airport that includes overhauling the aging Terminal 1. "Airline pre-approval for spending of this nature and of this magnitude really demonstrates our airline partners' understanding of the importance of transportation and transit improvements to the community," said Airport Authority CEO Kim Becker." While specific improvements are still being developed and have not yet been approved, the agreement ensures there will be substantial funding should the Airport Authority and our regional partners determine what's best." The more than $500 million funding pledge will be shared by the airlines and the Airport Authority, which also gets revenues from concessions, parking and rental car fees. The new airline pact, which follows more than a year of negotiations, marks a major turning point from nearly a year ago when multiple regional agencies roundly criticized the Airport Authority for doing little to address the increased traffic congestion that is expected as passenger volumes continue to grow. "I do think that this is a major step. People were fighting with each other a year ago and now talking about putting money behind a regional solution," said Hasan Ikhrata, chief executive of the San Diego Association of Governments. "It's good to plan but when you allocate money, that means you're serious." News of the funding comes as a group of elected leaders and transportation officials from around the county continue to discuss various options for creating a direct transit connection to the airport. The impetus for the meetings over the last several months is the Airport Authority's intent to significantly expand the aging Terminal 1. The project, long a priority for the airlines, involves constructing an entirely new building to replace the existing 19 gates and subsequently demolishing the existing terminal and adding 11 more gates. Even as local leaders are getting closer to narrowing options for bringing a direct mass transit connection to Lindbergh Field, airport officials are unable to say how much of the more than $500 million contribution will actually go to transit. That's because it's still unknown which projects will find favor with all the regional agencies. What airport leaders will say is that $350 million can be spent for transportation projects both off airport property and on site, which could include a new transit station at the airport, a people mover or trolley extension, or a contribution toward a grand central station. Any money, however, spent on such transportation improvements not on airport property would be contingent on contributions from other regional agencies like the San Diego Association of Governments, the Port of San Diego, the Metropolitan Transit System and the city of San Diego. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who has been pushing for transit to the airport, said he wants to make sure that people can ultimately reach the airport's two terminals via the San Diego Trolley. "It's no secret that getting to the airport by public transit has not been working very well for decades," Faulconer said during a news conference to announce the airline agreement. "I often joke that you can see the airport from the trolley and you can wave to it as you go by but it hasn't been connected." Faulconer said that with the new funding, he now believes that "we will create a transportation hub to finally connect the trolley to the airport. It's long overdue." Transportation planners are currently testing four airport transit options to determine which is the most cost effective, and also the most likely to be used by travelers. A recommendation is expected by August. Three of the four options envision a people mover -- either underground or largely street-level -- that would connect with a central transit center. Two sites for a grand central station are proposed: a 72-acre Navy site known, until recently, as SPAWAR, and the Intermodal Transportation Center, a long-planned transit hub that would be located slightly closer to the airport. There are currently no approved -- or funded -- plans for such a transit center. A fourth option, an extension of the San Diego Trolley to the airport, would generally tie into the existing convention center station to the south and Old Town station to the north, with a stop at the Santa Fe Depot. As much as the Airport Authority funding will help defray the cost, the price tag for a direct transit connection could potentially reach billions of dollars and take years to implement. Also announced as part of the new airline agreement is $165 million that could potentially be used for an already planned inbound roadway adjacent to Harbor Drive that would connect Laurel Street to the airport. Plans for the roadway, which would be free of traffic lights, also contemplate reserving right-of-way for future outbound lanes and is expected to remove 45,000 cars per day from Harbor Drive. The new road could also free up space on Harbor Drive for potential rapid bus or light rail transit.

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