Airport Parking Lot Work to Add to Congestion

Orange County travelers are about to experience the first traffic problems associated with the $296-million expansion project at John Wayne Airport.

Part of the short-term parking lot in front of the passenger terminal will be closed for restriping in late July, officials said. This work will force greater use of the long-term parking lot north of the terminal and the north parking lot on Main Street, west of MacArthur Boulevard, under the aircraft landing approach.

The closure will last from 6 a.m. July 24 through 6 a.m. July 27, officials said. About 25% of the lot’s capacity will be out of service.

The restriping, which by itself costs less than $10,000, will add 65 parking spaces to the 990 in the short-term lot. The short-term parking area and the existing passenger terminal will continue in use while the new passenger terminal is being built about a quarter of a mile north on Airport Way.

Construction of the new terminal, scheduled to begin early next year, eventually will close the long-term parking lot on Airport Way, forcing more use of the airport’s north lot on Main Street, across the San Diego Freeway from the airport.

Long-term parking lot rates are $8 per day, compared with the $12 daily fee in the short-term area in front of the existing terminal. The north lot on Main Street charges $5 per day. Free shuttle bus service is available at 15-minute intervals at both the long-term lot and the north lot.

The new terminal and parking complex are scheduled to open in 1990.