(Los Angeles, CA) Today marks one year since the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved the $4.9 billion Public-Private Partnership (P3) contract with LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Automated People Mover (APM) system for Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Once completed in 2023, this monumental project will transform how travelers access Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“Making LAX the most passenger-friendly airport means bringing modern and reliable public transportation to the terminals,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The Automated People Mover is a historic investment in our airport and city, and the project’s development moves us closer to delivering the world-class experience travelers expect and deserve."

Significant progress has been made over the last 12 months from both a design and construction standpoint.

“The Automated People Mover project is pivotal to LAX improving the guest experience and creating a world-class airport for the City of Los Angeles,” said Sean Burton, President, Board of Airport Commissioners. “Over the last year, the foundation has been laid for successful construction of the project and we look forward to seeing design turn into reality.”

In the last year, LINXS reached commercial close and financial close with unanimous LAWA Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) and City Council approval. Notice to Proceed with construction activities was also given by LAWA. Design of the project elements has been well under way and the 2.25 mile elevated guideway alignment design has been finalized.

“One year ago, LAWA and LINXS became partners in a mission to improve LAX through executing this contract, which will transform the ability to easily access our airport,” said Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “Over the course of the past year, we have moved from planning to start of construction, all while ensuring that inclusivity, workforce development and our neighbors are key components of this transformation.”

Inclusivity & Workforce Development

In the last year, the Inclusivity Program has committed $168.4 million in contract values for qualified, local, small and diverse businesses, and LINXS is slated to award more than $550 million in subcontracts to local, small and disabled veteran-owned business over the life of the project. In addition, 38.89% of LINXS’ contracts achieve inclusivity goals, far surpassing the 30% requirement for the project.

Communications and Community Outreach

Both the LAWA and LINXS’ communications teams have been hard at work out in the community, providing presentations on the project to a multitude of organizations and business leaders. Since contract approval, the teams have provided upwards of 100 presentations to more than 3,000 individuals. 

Construction Progress

Construction over the last year has consisted of underground utility investigations, allowing for the assessment of pavement and soil conditions for the entire footprint of the system. Most of this work has occurred in the LAX central terminal area and surrounding streets and will help set up the beginning of guideway and station work in the summer of 2019. The LINXS team also successfully relocated the Parking Structure 3 exit booth plaza, which created automated parking payment options for the first time at LAX.

On March 14, 2019, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti presided over a ceremonial groundbreaking as elected officials, community members, stakeholders and the airport came together to kick off the next phase of the project.

In the coming months, the column foundations along the guideway path will begin to be laid, while construction of the APM Maintenance and Storage Facility will commence. Several structures including the bridge connecting Parking Structures 3 and 4, the Center Way ramp and the former Raytheon hangar will also be demolished to make way for construction of the guideway and stations.

About the APM

The APM train system with six stations in total, will connect the terminals to new off-site parking facilities, new drop-off/pick-up locations, a Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility and will provide the long-awaited connection to the regional light rail system. End-to-end, a ride lasts 10 minutes and there will be a new train pulling into a station every two minutes.

The APM project will be complete in 2023 and is the cornerstone of theLAMP, which also features the ConRAC, Intermodal Transportation Facilities, as well as new and improved roadways.

For all construction impacts, renderings of the project and more information on the APM project, visit  FlyLAX.com/ConnectingLAX. Individuals can also subscribe to receive email updates online.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 

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.