LAX PEOPLE MOVER TRAIN CONSTRUCTION GOES VERTICAL AS FIRST COLUMNS ARE ERECTED IN CENTRAL TERMINAL AREA
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 sixth-busiest airport in the world serving nearly 66 million guests in 2022, is owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a proprietary, revenue-generating department of the City of Los Angeles that also governs Van Nuys Airport (VNY). As the international gateway to the Southern California region, LAX and its partners are dedicated to meeting global airport standards for customer satisfaction, safety, regional economic leadership, organizational performance and sustainability.
To better serve the millions of domestic and international guests that travel through LAX each year, the airport is undergoing a multi-billion-dollar capital improvement program to modernize its entire campus. Initiatives underway include an Automated People Mover, a Consolidated Rental Car Facility and two projects that will each add over one million square feet to the airport's existing property: Terminal 9 and Concourse 0. For more information about LAX, its transformation and its environmental, social and local workforce commitments, please visit flylax.com. Follow LAX on X (formally Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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