LAX MODERNIZATION UPDATE: JULY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS MAY CAUSE PASSENGER IMPACTS
(Los Angeles, California – July 1, 2014) In addition to the extreme congestion expected to come as a result of the closure of Century Boulevard on the weekend of July 25 through 28, ongoing construction at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is also expected to impact travelers in the coming month. The efforts, part of the multi-billion-dollar, capital improvement modernization program underway throughout the airport, will be experienced on roadways and sidewalks throughout the airport’s Central Terminal Area (CTA).
If coming to the airport in the month of July, passengers should look for and follow the comprehensive way-finding signage in place near all construction sites to ensure their safety and to enhance mobility.
Visitors to LAX are advised that during the weekend of July 25 through 28, Century Blvd. and portions of Aviation Blvd. will be closed for bridge demolition. Detours will be posted, but all are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for the commute to LAX during the 57-hour closure. Use of public transit, like the Green Line and FlyAway Shuttle Service, is also strongly encouraged.
Passengers and motorists are also advised that the following roadway lane restrictions are in effect on a nightly or continuous (24 hours, seven days a week) basis in the airport CTA:
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· North Center Way between Theme Way (the street near Parking Structure 2A) and East Way will be closed from 12 am to 11 am Monday through Friday, and from 6 am to 4:30 pm Saturday as needed, as part of the Center Way Widening Project. This closure will continue through August 29. This effort will ultimately result in a three-lane road for part of Center Way North, which will ease traffic congestion.
· One of two lanes on the northbound portion of East Way will be closed from World Way North to World Way South through September 5 on a continuous basis, for roadway improvements related to the Center Way Widening project.
· Some crosswalks between Terminal 7 and Parking Structure 7 will be replaced to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Work will begin on July 7, 2014, and continue until August 15, 2014, from 11:00 pm to 9:30 am.
· Portions of the sidewalk curb and the drop-off lane in front of TBIT on the Upper/Departures Level will be closed for the sidewalk-widening project July 14 through August 16 on a continuous basis. The project will ultimately add an additional two feet to the sidewalk’s depth outside the terminal.
· There will be closures to the two drop-off lanes on the Lower/Arrivals Level of the CTA to install height-clearance warning devices in preparation for hinge repairs to the Upper Level roadway. Height clearance will be limited starting July 28 through May 2015 on the two lower level lanes.
Sidewalk closures will be in effect at the following locations:
· The sidewalks along Center Way North will be closed between the Central Utility Plant and East Way and along East Way for the Center Way Widening effort, on a continuous basis.
· There will be periodic and intermittent partial sidewalk closures outside the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) on the Upper/Departures Level due to work on the exterior canopies as part of the New Face of LAX Project, which aims to unify the exterior appearance of LAX’s nine terminals. Closures are expected to occur through July 14. Some escalators outside TBIT may also be periodically impacted by this work.
· Portions of the sidewalk around Terminal 1 and Parking Structure 1 will be temporarily closed through July 3, 2014, and at Terminal 7 and Parking Structure 7 through August 8, 2014, during non-peak hours for ADA improvements to the sidewalk ramps, sidewalk evenness, crosswalks, and parking structure stalls.
Renovations inside terminals are also underway:
· TBIT: The LAX Unaligned Passenger Lounge (LAXUL) will be relocated to the sixth level of the Tom Bradley International Terminal on July 1. The entrance to the lounge will now be located in the terminal’s Great Hall/Villaraigosa Pavilion.
· Terminal 4: As the Terminal 4 Connector Project -- bridging Terminal 4 and TBIT post-security -- continues construction on the airfield, it will impact the use of some west-facing gates in Terminal 4. During the interim, passengers are being bussed to remote gates on the west side of the airfield. The Terminal 4 Connector is expected to complete construction in late 2015.
· Terminal 5: Delta Airlines is continuing its upgrade effort. Passengers will encounter construction barricades and work-related noise on both the arrivals and departures levels. Work is anticipated on this project through 2015.
Please note that all dates provided are tentative and subject to change.
Airport officials are asking motorists to help reduce traffic congestion in and around LAX by taking public transportation to and from LAX, including the inexpensive and convenient LAX FlyAway® nonstop bus service at Union Station, Van Nuys, and Westwood. If picking up passengers, motorists are encouraged to park and wait inside their vehicles at the free LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot at the intersection of 96th Street and Vicksburg Avenue, adjacent to the entrance of LAX Economy Parking Lot C.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the United States. LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 85 cities in the U.S. and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on 64 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over 1.9 million tons of air cargo valued at over $91.6 billion. An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output of more than $39.7 billion. This activity added $2.5 billion to local and state revenues. LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and 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.
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.
