For Immediate Release
Jan. 29, 2020
Contact:
Stephanie Sampson
(424) 646-5260
Construction of the 2.25 mile Automated People Mover train guideway moves to a new phase above ground
The first columns for the Automated People Mover train guideway are now in place between
Parking Structures 1 & 7, which will help support the East Central Terminal Area Station.
(Los Angeles, CA) Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has announced the start of column construction for the Automated People Mover (APM) project. The first columns, located inside Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) Central Terminal Area (CTA), will support the future East CTA Station.
“With the first columns rising above the Central Terminal Area, we can see a reimagined LAX taking shape,” said Justin Erbacci, Interim Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “Now that we have gone vertical with our construction, we can experience that our transformation is underway, and we are excited to see the progress each and every day.”
Elevated approximately 68 feet above grade and spanning Center Way, East CTA Station will connect to Terminal 7 and Parking Structure 1 via elevated pedestrian bridges. From a dedicated viewing area located on the west end of the station, passengers can enjoy views of the Theme Building, an iconic example of Googie architecture, which is a style of futurist architecture that originated in Los Angeles. One of three stations located inside the CTA, the East CTA Station will be located just a short ride to the new Intermodal Transportation Facilities and the Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) Facility.
The developer on the APM project, LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS), began foundation work at the site in October 2019 with the construction of Cast-in-Drilled Hole (CIDH) piles. Following the completion of CIDH piles, construction of the columns began. To construct the columns, a crane lifts the steel reinforcement cage into place and concrete is then piped in to bring the construction to grade. Formwork is then erected around the reinforcement cage to prepare for the column’s concrete placement. Once the concrete has cured, the formwork is disassembled, leaving a finished column.
Columns for the Automated People Mover on Center Way between Parking Structures 1 and 7 (l); Falsework prior to being attached to the columns (r).
“For a project of this scale and magnitude, there is a tremendous amount of work that must be done before vertical construction starts,” said Sharon Gookin, Project Director at LINXS. “The completion of the first station columns is an exciting milestone for everyone working on the project.”
As columns are completed, falsework is being erected at the site. Falsework refers to a construction technique in which temporary structures are erected to support a permanent structure until its construction is sufficiently advanced to support itself. Constructed out of reusable and recyclable steel and lumber and designed to support up to 250,000 pounds, the APM falsework will support the formwork for the guideway as the concrete cures and reaches prescribed strength.
Click on the image below to learn more about falsework construction.
The APM, a 2.25 mile elevated electric train system that will transport travelers in and out of the LAX CTA is the centerpiece of LAWA’s LAMP project. The APM will feature six stations: three stations inside the CTA, which connect to the terminals via elevated pedestrian walkways, and three stations outside the CTA, which will connect to new off-site parking facilities, regional light rail transportation and a Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) Facility. Scheduled to open for passenger service in 2023, the APM is expected to relieve congestion within the CTA and in turn the surrounding thoroughfares, thereby reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled.
For more information about the APM project, including fact sheets, renderings and construction impact notices, and to subscribe to receive email updates, visit FlyLAX.com/ConnectingLAX.
A rendering of the East Central Terminal Area Automated People Mover Station
LAX, the fourth-busiest airport in the world and second busiest in the United States, was named a top-10 U.S. airport by SKYTRAX. LAX served more than 87.5 million passengers in 2018 and offers an average of 700 daily nonstop flights to 109 cities in the U.S. and 1,281 weekly nonstop flights to 93 markets in 47 countries on 69 commercial airlines. LAX ranks 10th in the world in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.4 million tons of air cargo. LAX handled 707,883 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2018.
LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California, with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion, according to an economic study based on 2014 operations. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion; $966 million in state and local taxes; and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX was honored as having the “Best Overall Customer Service Program” by Airports Council International-North America; named the “Best Airport for Breastfeeding Moms” by Mamava; selected for the Top 10 “Best of the U.S.’s Big Airports” (Wall Street Journal) and “Most Pet-Friendly Airports in the U.S. (Mental Floss); named the second-most improved airport in the U.S. by JD Power; received an “Innovation Award” from the L.A. Better Business Challenge for its Central Utility Plant; and named a “Business Leader in Air Quality” by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
LAX is also the second-most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram, according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
For more information about LAX, please visit www.flyLAX.com or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport, and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1.
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
