Airport Would Choke Roads

* The Feb. 24 article “Region’s Future Traffic Riding on Transit Bill” stated that as the gateway to the Pacific Rim, California carries a heavy burden of seaport and air traffic to move cargo, much of which benefits other states.

It also noted that one-third of the nation’s imports come into Southern California ports and airports. Traffic at those entryways is expected to double--in some cases triple--over the next 20 years.

Forty percent of Southland traffic on California 60 and Interstate 5 and 15 is truck traffic. If growth trends continue, trucks will make up as much as 70% of traffic on those freeways in 20 years.

About 1,000 miles of Southern California freeways already are classified as severely congested, which means traffic does not average more than 18 mph during morning and afternoon rush hours. Without relief, the congestion is expected to triple by 2020.

Triple our freeway congestion for the benefit of other states? The article’s alarming prognosis provides all of Southern California and south Orange County in particular with the most cogent argument possible against locating an international airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station or anywhere else in the Southland. Ask any regular commuter on today’s freeways how he would like more congestion.

With the Port of Los Angeles already embarked on a major expansion program, it makes absolutely no environmental sense whatsoever to impose truck traffic for the benefit of the entire United States on Southern California’s already overloaded freeways, airport and air quality. Those air transported goods destined for other states can be flown over Southern California to airports farther inland, bypassing the Southern California area traffic and air pollution problems altogether.

CHARLTON JOHNSON

Laguna Hills

* It’s interesting to read about our cities’ various concerns. Huntington Beach residents oppose a Home Base store in their city, Cypress residents oppose a carpet warehouse, Newport Beach debates redevelopment of Balboa Island, and far north cities are worried about Imperial Highway’s expansion.

All are concerned about increased traffic, pollution, noise, and property values. Yet North County voters approved an El Toro airport with 24-hour flights.

If North County really cares about increased traffic and pollution, it should fight the airport. The air quality will suffer with 80,000 pounds of pollution daily. There will be massive traffic on streets and freeways, filled with millions of arriving and departing visitors from all over the world who will drive through North County on their way to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Newport and Huntington beaches and other destinations north of Orange County. Not to mention all those driving to their new low-paying, service-oriented airport jobs.

All of Orange County will suffer from increased traffic and pollution. Do we need to destroy our county for ourselves and our children’s families? Our economy is strong without another airport; that’s no excuse. Use John Wayne Airport to its intended capacity or sacrifice a little convenience and drive to LAX. You can’t take back the ring once the bell has rung.

G. WILSON

Laguna Niguel

* I live in the landing path for the El Toro air station. In the continuing brouhaha over converting El Toro into a commercial airport I continue to be perplexed and amazed at the continuing ignorance shown by Bruce Nestande and his ilk.

They are reported in your Feb. 13 article regarding home values as restating that the “commercial planes will be quieter than existing military jets.”

That may well be true, but it is irrelevant. What is relevant is that in the five years I’ve lived under the flight path, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of days during which more than 10 military jets came over my home, not counting the Blue Angels one weekend a year.

Commercial planes are expected to do so at a rate of one every two to five minutes. Continued military use of the field, even at twice the intensity of past use, is far preferable to any commercial airport option being considered for El Toro. Who does Nestande think he is trying to fool when he talks of comparing apples to apples?

JOHN P. MCCARTHY

Aliso Viejo

* Re “The Price of Progress Is Building in Anaheim,” Feb. 23:

Anaheim’s voracious appetite for constructing, building and enlarging infrastructures must be a nightmare for people living in and around Anaheim.

Unfortunately for many people in south Orange County, Anaheim’s rapaciousness does not stop at the city line. The beneficiaries of the tourist industry in Anaheim (Disney, Knott’s and the city of Anaheim, among others) have been strong proponents of the construction of an international airport at the soon-to-be-closed Marine base at El Toro.

One of the prices of Anaheim’s progress does not have to be paid for by the tourist industries. It is being paid for by the people who will live around the future pollution, noise, and congestion of the proposed El Toro International Airport.

Tourism in Anaheim wouldn’t be such a sacred cow if it weren’t subsidized by many people in south Orange County who don’t feel enthusiasm for building Anaheim’s airport in their back yard.

PHILIP WESTIN

Irvine