SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Lindbergh Field has never been busier, and the traffic around San Diego's airport is following suit.
"It's so ridiculous to have to sit there in that traffic," said Sergio Rodriguez, who spoke to 10News while parked in the airport's cell phone lot. "You have to have a lot of time."
More than 20 million travelers passed through Lindbergh Field's gates last year, continuing its legacy as the busiest single-runway airport in the U.S.
Now, as the San Diego Airport Authority works toward rebuilding Terminal 1 to accommodate the higher demand, a new proposal is coming to light that could bring relief to people who are already here.
SANDAG is working on the prospect of a major transit center across the runway from the terminals. The idea is to reduce traffic on North Harbor Drive, which feeds into both terminals and the cell phone lot.
The transit center would be multimodal -- meaning that potentially the trolley, busses and cars could all serve it, and it would connect travelers back to the terminals.
"The airport development plan envisions a future connection to SANDAG's project on the north side of the airport, as well as a dedicated on-airport roadway to help reduce airport traffic on Harbor Drive," said Airport Authority spokeswoman Rebecca Bloomfield.
A SANDAG spokeswoman said the center would be located along the existing rail line so travelers could get to trains, trolleys and busses, plus the southern end of the proposed high-speed rail.
The Port of San Diego's board could learn more about the proposal at its meeting Tuesday, when it will receive a full update about airport expansion plans.
