Airport Station

CITY HALL — Burbank officials are telling state high-speed-rail representatives that without an airport station, life for the two proposed city stops could become more difficult. Representatives of the California High-Speed Rail Authority had planned to present two station alternatives to their board of directors as soon as May 6 in San Jose. But the Burbank City Council last week called on the representatives to consider as part of their environmental study a stop near Bob Hope Airport, arguing that a proposed $120-million regional transportation center there should not be isolated from high-speed trains.

AIRPORT DISTRICT — Local officials are lining up against a Metrolink proposal to cut service to Bob Hope Airport by 28%, calling the plan a shortsighted way to deal with anemic ridership figures. Metrolink officials contend that the average 500 daily passengers serviced by the eight Ventura County trains planned for elimination could be absorbed by higher-traffic lines, and that the proposal is the best way to save money while minimizing impacts to passengers. But Don Brown, a member of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, pointed to the airport’s planned $120-million regional transportation center that would link the airport with passenger trains, shuttles, buses and taxicabs.

Children from Robert Gross Park Camp once again visited the Burbank Bob Hope Airport fire station to learn about careers at the airport. Southwest Airlines, Atlantic Aviation, Million Air and the TSA participated in the Thursday event, which drew 65 campers. The children learned how to guide planes into gates, got splashed with water from a fire truck, and saw how public safety officials prepare for emergencies. The children also looked inside a luxury jet, got an up-close look at a police helicopter and watched aircraft take off from the tarmac.

A suspicious object found one mile east of the Burbank-Glendale- Pasadena Airport shut down traffic and MetroLink trains for more than two hours Friday afternoon, but was determined to be inert by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Bomb Squad. A driver reported a suspicious object in the intersection of Vanowen and Buena Vista streets about 3:30 p.m., Burbank Police Sgt. William Berry said. Berry said he had no information on what made the object appear suspicious.

Mark R. Madler A stretch limousine driver had a few scary moments this week after a van rear-ended his car, catapulting it onto railroad tracks where a Metrolink train hit it. No one was hurt in the accident just before noon Thursday at the railroad crossing at Buena Vista and Van Owen streets. The driver managed to bail out of the limousine before the train hit it. Police closed down Buena Vista from Empire to Pacific avenues for several hours after the collision.

City officials, business leaders and a handful of residents on Tuesday celebrated the grand opening of the first high-end rental home complex in Burbank in 25 years. Empire Landing officially opened with more than 40% of the 276 units already leased. Representatives for the complex said they hope to attract a variety of residents, including people who already live in Burbank and those who are looking for resort living, or who no longer wish to commute — even temporary studio workers who might not stay long, said Barbara Casey, a spokeswoman for the developer, Casden Properties.

LOS ANGELES — The brunt of cuts to local Metrolink service could fall on commuters from Ventura, with eight of the 12 lines proposed for elimination affecting the route, according to a preliminary plan reached Friday. Metrolink board members signed off on the proposal Friday after hearing from dozens of passengers and area stakeholders at a public hearing on proposed service reductions and fare increases. Metrolink is trying to bridge an $8-million budget shortfall for next fiscal year, with the board of directors slated to consider hiking fares and cutting the 12 Southland lines on April 23. Proposed service reductions to the area include the discontinuation of eight weekday trains on the Ventura County line through the cancellation of trains 103, 105, 107, 108, 112, 114, 900 and 901. That could affect commuters who work in Glendale, but who live in the east valley areas, although officials said the lines were targeted because they had low ridership and lagged far behind in terms of their cost-benefit.

Laura Sturza Getting to and from Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport will be easier through a new program designed to get people moving by train, en route to their planes. The Rail 2 Rail program was launched Thursday at the airport's train station, and will allow riders to use tickets from Metrolink or Amtrak to travel from Los Angeles' Union Station to Burbank Airport using either service. "There are so many trains," Metrolink spokeswoman Sharon Gavin said.

Airport entrance is closing for paving work The main vehicle entrance and exit at Bob Hope Airport at Hollywood Way and Thornton Avenue will be closed from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday while crews pave the driveway. The paving improvements at the Hollywood Way main airport entrance will align the airport roadway with Thornton Avenue, add a second left-turn lane from the airport onto northbound Hollywood Way and provide a dedicated right-turn-only lane from the airport onto southbound lanes of Hollywood Way. There will also be pedestrian crosswalks across Hollywood Way to the airport on the north and south sides of the intersection.

CITY HALL — Burbank officials are telling state high-speed-rail representatives that without an airport station, life for the two proposed city stops could become more difficult. Representatives of the California High-Speed Rail Authority had planned to present two station alternatives to their board of directors as soon as May 6 in San Jose. But the Burbank City Council last week called on the representatives to consider as part of their environmental study a stop near Bob Hope Airport, arguing that a proposed $120-million regional transportation center there should not be isolated from high-speed trains.

AIRPORT DISTRICT — Local officials are lining up against a Metrolink proposal to cut service to Bob Hope Airport by 28%, calling the plan a shortsighted way to deal with anemic ridership figures. Metrolink officials contend that the average 500 daily passengers serviced by the eight Ventura County trains planned for elimination could be absorbed by higher-traffic lines, and that the proposal is the best way to save money while minimizing impacts to passengers. But Don Brown, a member of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, pointed to the airport’s planned $120-million regional transportation center that would link the airport with passenger trains, shuttles, buses and taxicabs.