The following excerpt appeared in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on November 9, 2019. To read the full article, click here (may require subscription).
After 3 years of local control, Ontario airport has more passengers but transit options remain iffy – Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
A man checks the flights status on a screen at Ontario International Airport in Ontario on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By Steve Scauzillo
November 9, 2019
[excerpt]:
“But that (growth) will only occur if we are able to bring in transit, rail, other ways to get here other than with your car,” said Alan Wapner, Ontario councilman and president of the Ontario International Airport Authority, a joint governing authority made up of the city of Ontario and the county of San Bernardino and the board that governs the airport.
Wapner said he supports the plan to extend the Gold Line light-rail system into the airport but says the obstacles are huge. It will cost $2.5 billion and none of that money is available. Also, getting it to Montclair — a path that seemed certain for 10 years — is now in question due to rising construction prices and alternatives being floated by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority that do not prioritize light-rail. Without a station in San Bernardino County, the Gold Line won’t ever reach ONT, emphasizes Montclair City Councilman Bil Ruh.
With Los Angeles Airport (LAX) rated the worst airport in the world due to traffic jams, parking woes and long security lines, Elkadi boasts that ONT passengers can park, go through security checkpoints and reach their gate in about 30 minutes. Also, LAX has no transit connection, something that is under construction but will take at least four more years to complete.
“I hope we don’t make the same mistake here as they did at LAX,” said Rep. Norma Torres, D-Pomona, in an interview Thursday, Nov. 7. “That is not a goal I want to see for the Ontario folks. I hope we can come up with a 20-year plan to bring light-rail to the airport and the Gold Line is key to all of that.”
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