LOS ANGELES BOARD OF AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS AWARDS CONTRACT FOR PALMDALE REGIONAL AIRPORT MASTER PLAN
(Palmdale, California - Nov. 13, 2002) The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners today awarded a consulting services contract to the URS Corporation of Los Angeles to prepare a master plan and supporting environmental impact report for Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD).
The $1.9 million contract will focus on defining a future role for the Palmdale Airport in the context of Mayor James K. Hahn's and Los Angeles World Airports' commitment to addressing regional air traffic demands in Southern California.
"The development of the master plan for Palmdale Regional Airport is a leap towards providing the resources necessary to meet the air traffic demands of one of the fastest growing regions of Southern California, and without expanding Los Angeles International Airport," Hahn said. "It will also support our efforts to serve the untapped air travel market in and out of the Palmdale area that is expected to increase from 1.5 million to 7 million in the next two decades."
Palmdale Mayor James C. Ledford Jr. said, "I am excited. This takes us to the next level of preparing Palmdale Airport to be a part of the regional solution of airport accessibility for our traveling public."
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich added, "Located in the heart of California's fastest-growing region and convenient to more than 2.5 million
citizens of the Antelope, Santa Clarita, San Fernando, and Crescenta Valleys and neighboring counties, utilization of Palmdale airport will reduce congestion, air pollution and provide all County citizens a convenient air travel system."The Palmdale Airport, which is located in the high desert of northern Los Angeles County in the Greater Antelope Valley, has not had commercial airline service since 1998. Local business and community leaders have also been working to bring aviation service back to the region.
According to the contract, approved at the commissioners' meeting, URS Corporation will provide the following services:
- Development of airport planning goals and objectives
- Inventory and analysis of PMD's aviation environmental and associate issues, including the airport's structural, physical, statutory, and environmental facilities
- An analysis of demand in a regional context and development of alternative scenarios and associated forecasts of aviation activity
- Determination of facility and operational requirements to serve forecasted levels of demand
- Development of alternative conceptual plans for airport development and land use based on selected scenarios, including analysis of alternatives and selection of a preferred alternative
- Preparation of conceptual land use and circulation alternatives, including examination and analysis of industrial, commercial, and agricultural land uses for financial optimization
- Ground access modeling and analysis and development of ground access plan
- Environmental impact analysis and development of an environmental impact report (EIR)
- Economic impact analysis and financial feasibility analysis
- A program for phased implementation of the plan and a financial plan for funding improvements
- Preparation of an FAA Airport Layout Plan and Terminal Area Plan
- Phased Implementation plan
- A community involvement program
The master plan, which is expected to be completed in 17 months, will forecast operations at the Palmdale Airport for the next 25 years.
URS Corporation is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices throughout the world. It has completed more than 300 airport projects ranging in size from small general aviation airports to large-hub international airport complexes.
The company's aviation planning experience includes site selection, terminal area, airfield, specialized on-airport tower and NAVAID siting, cargo and FBO areas, hangars, rental car and parking facilities, non-aviation commercial industrial areas, on-site military facilities, aviation complex access, and total feasibility analysis and financial planning.
The terminal at the Palmdale Airport is owned and operated by LAWA, which also owns some 17,500 acres of adjoining property. The taxiways and runways are owned and operated by the U.S. Air Force, which also owns the adjacent Air Force Plant 42.
Since 1989, the Palmdale Airport has been operated under a Joint Use Agreement between LAWA and the Air Force that established procedures for joint military/civil operations at Plant 42. The agreement also outlines guidelines for the future use and development of LAWA's property.
In addition to LAX and Palmdale, LAWA also owns and operates the Ontario International Airport and Van Nuys Airport.
