Bob Hope Airport – Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC), Contract No. E10-07, Burbank, CA

Bob hope airport

AVA’s Role: Anil Verma Associates, Inc. (AVA) served as the Landscape Architect for this 30-acre, fast-track Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC), which includes local and regional bus facilities, a rental car facility, and a compressed natural gas fueling facility. The project required close collaboration among the Airport Authority, FAA, City of Burbank, SCRRA/Amtrak, and other stakeholders to efficiently advance the project from final design documentation into construction. AVA worked closely with the Authority and the City of Burbank to determine the restrictions, special conditions, and early processes and applications required to maintain schedule compliance, while coordinating with SCRRA, Amtrak, Caltrans, and other stakeholders.

Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC)

Description: The RITC project consists of eight primary components: a combined Consolidated Rental Car Facility and Transit Center, a replacement parking structure, a sloping elevated covered pedestrian walkway with a moving sidewalk, an elevated bridge over Empire Avenue, an accessible compressed natural gas facility, dedicated parking for Metrolink and Amtrak passengers, a ground access center, and a series of bicycle racks. Pedestrian bridges and walkways connect the RITC and commercial parking structure to the airport and the Metrolink Commuter Rail Station. The Consolidated Rental Car Facility accommodates six or more rental car companies and includes counter space, public restrooms, vertical access via elevators, escalators, and stairways, ready-return spaces, and a common Quick-Turn-Around (QTA) facility for vehicle fueling, washing, and cleaning. An elevated bridge over Empire Avenue and the adjacent railway tracks connects the RITC with the Metrolink/Amtrak Train Station, while dedicated parking for Metrolink and Amtrak passengers is provided through the acquisition of Union Pacific Railroad land. The project also includes improvements to the runway safety area associated with Runway 15-33. The landscape design provides continuity throughout the airport by integrating the project’s varied elements and tying them into the surrounding neighborhood to create a harmonious setting. Its low-maintenance “California Garden” theme reinforces Southern California’s unique horticultural diversity for travelers arriving from outside the region.