LAX MODERNIZATION UPDATE:
NO FOOLING – APRIL WILL BE A BUSY MONTH WITH BIG CHANGES COMING TO TERMINAL 1
(Los Angeles, California – March 31, 2017) Changes in Terminal 1, including the opening of a new Security Screening Check Point for passengers, highlight what will be a busy April as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) continues its $14-billion modernization effort. Passengers using LAX in April will need to plan ahead to navigate sidewalk and vehicle lane closures and in-terminal work. Construction alerts showing Central Terminal Area (CTA) roadway lane restrictions and sidewalk closures, as well as a pedestrian walking map and helpful airline terminal finder, can be found at . LAX provides real-time traffic status in and around the CTA, and space availability in the terminal area parking garages and Lot C on Waze, the community-based traffic reporting app.
Roadway Impacts in and near the CTA:
· Work to shift the main construction area at Terminal 1 will impact the drop-off lane on the Upper/Departure Level. Barricades are scheduled to extend an additional 120 feet west in early April. Later in the month, 200 feet of barricades on the eastern end of the construction area will be removed, and a new drop-off and pick-up area will open for parking shuttles and the Lot C bus ONLY – no other vehicles will be allowed to use this area. During busy travel times such as early morning and midday, passenger drop-off causes traffic backups on the roads leading into the CTA, affecting access to all other terminals. Drivers may find it easier to drop off passengers between Terminals 1 and 2. To avoid traffic congestion at LAX from early morning to 2 p.m., motorists are asked to use the Lower/Arrivals Level to drop off passengers, who can take elevators, escalators or stairs up to the Upper/Departures Level.
The construction barricades at Terminal 1 will be extended 120 feet in this direction in early April as renovation work shifts.
· Work to install metal panels on the elevator tower at Parking Structure 3 may require the closure of the left-most lane Monday-Saturday mornings on the Lower/Arrivals Level through May.
Metal panel installation has restricted the sidewalk and plaza at Parking Structure 3, while the left lane is occasionally closed.
· United Airlines’ redevelopment of Terminal 7 has closed a 135-foot section of the passenger drop-off area on the Upper/Departures Level, which will remain in place through April.
· Tree trimming in the Central Terminal Area may require rolling lane closures through early April.
· Caltrans work to seal bridges on Interstate 105 in the LAX area will result in some lane and access ramp closures Monday-Friday nights from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning.
· The City of El Segundo will be resurfacing eastbound Imperial Highway between Sepulveda Boulevard and Hornet Way, reducing lanes with occasional full closures that could impact the Interstate 105 on-ramp at Hughes Way. Motorists can avoid the work, which will take place weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., by accessing Interstate 105 from Sepulveda Boulevard or continuing south to eastbound Maple or Mariposa avenues and then northbound Douglas Street. Paving work will take place over one weekend, likely April 8-10, starting Friday at 9 p.m.
· Work to remove temporary supporting “falsework” for the new Aviation/Century Metro Station will require overnight directional closures of Century Boulevard between Aviation Boulevard and Bellanca Avenue. Westbound lanes will be closed the nights of April 3-7, starting at 10 p.m. The eastbound lanes will be similarly affected the nights of April 10-14. All lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. and there will be no work on Saturday or Sunday nights. A detour will be posted.
Terminal Construction/Renovation :
· Phase 2 of Southwest Airlines’ $509-million Terminal 1 Renovation Project is shifting to the central part of the terminal, including the installation of a new restroom core and food court at the current Security Screening Check Point. A new screening area will open April 3. Passengers will use a tunnel to bypass construction on the ticketing level. The current food court and Gate 10 will remain open, with passengers directed around construction. In the baggage claim area, passengers will be directed to the right when they reach the bottom of the escalators from the concourse. The pedestrian bridge connecting Parking Structure 1 and the terminal is closed, with signs placed to direct passengers. The restrooms on the ticketing level have been temporarily replaced by unisex restrooms on the western side of the lobby. Passengers may also use restrooms located on the Lower/Arrivals Level or in the terminal beyond passenger security screening. Gates 16A, 16B, 18A and 18B are temporarily closed. Reilly’s Irish Pub has opened near Gates 13 and 15. Westfield is phasing in new concessions, with a total of 24 to be installed through 2017. A water-bottle filler is available in baggage claim.
Reilly’s Irish Pub is the newest addition to Terminal 1.
· Terminal 3: A food court, including Shake Shack, LA Life and a new Starbucks location, will open later this year. La Familia, a restaurant and tequila spot, will begin construction with opening set in late 2017.
· Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT): Gates 122, 123A, 123B and 123C are closed for renovation. When they reopen, they will be numbered 135, 137, 139 and 141.
· Terminal 4: Two new Automated Screening Lanes (ASLs) opened in March at the TSA Security Screening Check Point. One of the lanes is assigned to Pre-Check customers, while the other is open to all passengers. The ASLs allow five travelers to fill their bins at the same time. Wait times are expected to be reduced by 30 percent. American Airlines continues the multi-million dollar renovation of the Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge and further upgrades to terminal signage. American is set to receive new customer buses for inter-terminal transportation.
· Terminal 5: American Airlines has relocated its four gates at Terminal 6 to Terminal 5, which is adjacent to American’s hub operations in Terminal 4, improving operations and the customer experience. The bus to the American Eagle terminals leaves from Gate 52.
· Terminal 6: Delta Air Lines will operate for several months from Gates 60-63 in addition to Gates 68A, 68B and 69B. A Peet’s Coffee store is under construction and will open later this year.
· Terminals 7/8: United Airlines is continuing its $573-million Terminal 7/8 Renovation Project scheduled for completion in early 2018. The Security Screening Check Point at the bridge level is permanently closed. The bridge from Parking Structure 7 is closed through May 2017 for elevator demolition and construction. Access to the parking structure is available on the Lower/Arrivals Level.
Two new elevators are being constructed near the bridge and expected to open in May. Gates 75B and 77 are closed for renovations. Work continues on a new Baggage Carousel 1, with temporary walls in place - it is expected to open at the end of May. The United Baggage Service office is in a temporary location near the new restrooms on the west end of the baggage claim area, and must be accessed from the street.
Sidewalk/Walkway/Parking Structure Restrictions and Closures :
· As part of Southwest’s Terminal 1 Renovation Project, portions of the sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level will be closed through 2017 with pedestrians routed around barricades. A portion of the drop-off lane will be sectioned off to serve as a walking path while construction barricades are shifted westward.
· No parking is allowed on the roof of Parking Structure 1 through mid-April due to waterproofing work.
· Work on the west side elevators at Parking Structure 3 has temporarily closed a portion of the sidewalk. A detour leads passengers safely to the crosswalk to reach Terminal 3. Signs direct passengers to other elevators in the parking structure.
· The crosswalk between Parking Structure 3 and TBIT on the Lower/Arrivals Level has reopened.
· Work to install security bollards on the Upper/Departures Level will close portions of the sidewalk in front of Terminals 1, 4 and 7. An ADA-compliant path of travel will be maintained at all times.
Security bollard installation is restricting sidewalks at several locations, including outside Terminal 7 (above).
· The elevators on the west side of Parking Structure 7 are closed through April, with passengers directed to the recently renovated elevators on the east side of the structure. The adjacent sidewalk along East Way and World Way is also closed.
· Pedestrians are routed to a bump-out sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level at Terminal 7 while the sidewalk is widened. A 175-foot-long barricade exists along the easternmost sidewalk on the Upper/Departures Level of Terminals 7/8 through 2017.
Landside Access Modernization Program :
To improve the passenger experience, relieve congestion and enhance LAX’s status as a world-class airport, Los Angeles World Airports has proposed the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP). The program, which includes an Automated People Mover for access to the CTA, a Consolidated Rent-A-Car Center and connection to Metro light-rail service, requires federal and local approval as part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Thus far, some exploratory work, such as geotechnical surveying, has taken place. Crews are expected to begin installing survey markers in the CTA in the near future.
Please note that all dates provided in this notice are subject to change.
Traffic alerts and current airport conditions are posted on LAX’s social media sites at www.Facebook/com/LAInternationalAirport and www.Twitter.com/flyLAXairport . A construction hotline at (310) 649-LAWA or (310) 649-5292 is also available. Real-time traffic conditions in and around the airport are available and by following @LAAirportPDon Twitter.
Motorists can help reduce traffic congestion in and around LAX by taking shared-ride public transportation to and from LAX, including the inexpensive and convenient FlyAway® bus service to and from Hollywood, Long Beach, Metro Orange Line Bus stop (in San Fernando Valley), Union Station, Van Nuys and Westwood. If picking up passengers, motorists can use the free LAX Cell Phone Waiting Lot at the intersection of 96th Street and Vicksburg Avenue, next to the entrance of LAX Economy Parking Lot C.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fourth busiest passenger airport in the world, second in the United States, and was named Skytrax’ 2017 Top 10 Most Improved Airports. LAX served more than 80.9 million passengers in 2016 an increase of almost 8 percent from last year. As of March 2017, LAX offers 692 daily nonstop flights to 91 U.S. cities and 1,220 weekly nonstop flights to 78 international destinations in 41 countries on 66 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016.
An economic impactanalysis based on 2014 activity,found LAX generated more than 620,600 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion to the Greater Los Angeles region. The economic benefits of LAX added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The analysis 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 is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys, one of the busiest general aviation facilities in the U.S. – 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.
