BOARD OF AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS APPROVE AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MASTER PLAN
(Ontario, California - March 19, 2002) The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners today approved an award of contract to HNTB Corporation, Los Angeles, to develop a master plan for Ontario International Airport (ONT). The contract includes development of the ONT Master Plan in three phases at an estimated total cost of $3.9 million.
Today's action covers activities in Phase I only at a cost of $650,500. Phase I initiates the master plan development and specifically concentrates on a land-use plan for airport property. This phase will guide Los Angeles World Airports' (LAWA) decisions on the use of vacant and underused property so land can be developed to take advantage of immediate revenue generation opportunities without compromising long-term aviation needs. Phase I will also include facility and operational inventories, preliminary forecasts, development of air quality analysis protocols and public outreach tasks.
Phase II will build on information produced in Phase I to complete forecasting and facility requirements analysis, perform transportation and environmental analysis, develop alternative conceptual plans, and select a preferred plan. Phase III will include the development of an Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR).
"I'm committed to moving forward with my campaign pledge to develop a regional aviation program that will redistribute Southern California's air traffic demand from Los Angeles International to other regional airports," said Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. "All airports in the region must be prepared to take on a larger share of passenger and cargo volume in the future in order to preserve the economic benefits of tourism and trade in our region."
Aviation industry forecasters show that Southern California's air traffic demand will reach upwards of 167 million annual passengers and 9.5 million annual tons of cargo by 2025.
"LAWA is making every effort to carry out Mayor Hahn's goal of a regional aviation program with LAWA's airport system in mind," said Jim Ritchie, LAWA deputy executive director for long-range planning. "It is important that LAWA's other commercial airport's at Ontario and Palmdale are fully utilized for passenger and cargo service." The ONT Master Plan will cover a planning horizon to 2030. Consulting services necessary to complete the ONT Master Plan will include:
- Development of planning goals and objectives
- An inventory and analysis of existing facilities, land, resources, capacity and conditions
- An analysis of demand in a regional context and development of forecasts of passenger, cargo and operations demand for ONT
- Interpretation of forecasts into facility requirements to serve demand
- Development of alternative conceptual plans for analysis and selection of a proposed plan
- Ground access modeling and analysis and development of a transportation improvement program
- An Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS)as necessary for the proposed plan and alternatives and the development of environmental mitigation plans
- Economic Impact Analysis for the proposed plan and alternatives
- A program for phased implementation of the plan and a financial plan for funding improvements
- A community and stakeholder involvement program
HNTB Corporation, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri with offices throughout the country, is a multidisciplined firm specializing in transportation, bridges, aviation, architectural design and planning, environmental engineering, and construction services. The firm's expertise in aviation includes aviation planning and design, master planning, site design services, airfield design, access and parking, program management, and other specialty services.
"We look forward to working with HNTB aviation professionals," said Ritchie. "They have nearly 60 years experience in major aviation projects. ONT is primed for growth and we are confident that HNTB will develop a master plan that is responsive to necessary airport infrastructure, community needs, regulatory policies, financial considerations, and environmental issues."
ONT features a new 530,000-square-foot twin terminal complex capable of handling up to 10 million passengers a year. The $270 million terminals opened in September 1998 to accommodate growth at ONT, which currently handles 6.7 million annual passengers. Twelve major airlines serve ONT including AeroMexico, Air Laughlin, Alaska, American, America West, Continental, Delta, jetBlue, Northwest, Southwest, United and United Express.
Eight major U.S. freight carriers serve ONT including Airborne Express, Ameriflight, DHL, Empire Airways, Federal Express, Pacific Valley Airfreight, Union Flights, and United Parcel Service (UPS). ONT handled 462,006 tons of air cargo in 2001.
Located approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, ONT is located in the City of Ontario in the Inland Empire region. The Inland Empire, which covers San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, is one of the fastest growing areas in Southern California.
ONT is owned and operated by LAWA, a Los Angeles city department which also owns and operates Los Angeles International (LAX), Palmdale Regional (PMD) and Van Nuys (VNY) Airports.
