LAX TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012

            Passengers, visitors and workers traveling to/from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, are advised to expect vehicular traffic congestion and possible delays due to phased closures of westbound Century Boulevard between Airport and Sepulveda boulevards, and then of northbound Sepulveda Boulevard between Imperial Highway and 98th Street.  This is in response to a scheduled labor demonstration by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1877.

            Airport officials recommend in general that departing passengers arrive in their airline terminals two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.  Due to the planned demonstration, passengers coming to LAX during this five-hour period are advised to add an additional 90 minutes to their planned drive time to ensure they catch departing flights on time.   

            While all entrances into the LAX Central Terminal Area will remain open, the phased temporary closures are expected to significantly impact traffic at two airport entrances into the Central Terminal Area:  westbound Century Boulevard and northbound Sepulveda Boulevard north of the Sepulveda Tunnel.

            At times during the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. period, traffic headed to LAX on westbound Century Boulevard may be diverted to northbound Airport Boulevard to westbound 98th Street to northbound Vicksburg Avenue over the 96th Street Bridge onto the Upper/Departures and Lower/Arrivals roadways of the Central Terminal Area.

            Motorists on westbound Century also are advised to avoid the intersection of Century and Airport boulevards by taking northbound Aviation Boulevard to westbound Arbor Vitae Street/ Westchester Parkway to southbound Sepulveda Boulevard to the 96th Street Bridge entrance.  

            The following entrances into the airport will remain open, with exceptions: 

• Westbound Interstate 105 (I-105) Century Freeway to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard onto the Upper/Departures and Lower/Arrivals roadways.  During the demonstration, the California Highway Patrol may determine a need to close the I-105 freeway exit to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard.  If the I-105 Sepulveda Boulevard exit is closed, traffic will be diverted onto westbound Imperial Highway to northbound Pershing Drive to eastbound Westchester Parkway to southbound Sepulveda Boulevard to the 96th Street Bridge.
• Lincoln Boulevard to southbound Sepulveda Boulevard to the 96th Street Bridge
• Southbound Sepulveda Boulevard to westbound “Little Century” (adjacent to Park One private parking facility) on the Lower/Arrivals roadway only 

            All traffic exiting the Central Terminal Area will be directed to use eastbound Century Boulevard and southbound Sepulveda Boulevard.

            Airport Police traffic officers will continue to strictly enforce laws prohibiting motorists waiting at terminal curbside for arriving passengers to exit the terminals. Motorists picking up passengers are also asked to avoid circling the Central Terminal Area roadways and to park their vehicles in the parking structures directly across from the terminals.  Motorists can also use the LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot at the northwest corner of 96th Street and Vicksburg Avenue, adjacent to the entrance of LAX Economy Lot C, where they can wait for free until arriving passengers call to say they are at terminal curbside. 

            Flight operations at LAX are expected to be normal during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.  Passengers are advised to check with their airlines before coming to the airport to ensure their flights are on time.  Information on real-time flight status can be found at

            To save time and eliminate the wait in airline ticketing counters, airport officials recommend passengers access their airlines’ websites and check in for flights before coming to the airport.