Officials involved in the conception a plan for the airport's future unveiled a proposal Monday that would move most of Lindbergh Field's passenger operations to a new transit hub.
The hub would be built in Phase III of the plan released by a group of officials that included San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Chairman Alan Bersin.
The plan would ease traffic congestion on Harbor Drive and make it easier for travelers to get in and out of the airport, according to the mayor. Officials said that less than 2 percent of travelers now use mass transit, but if the terminal site were moved, its access to nearby trolleys and highways would push that up to nearly 20 percent.
The plan would be implemented over the next 21 years if adopted in full and cost as much as $12 billion. Officials said no local taxes would be required to pay for construction, saying that money would instead come from highway funds, and fees from passengers and airport tenants.
