An aerial view of the train guideway in the Central Terminal Area (top), along Century Boulevard and 96th Street (bottom left) and at Aviation Boulevard and the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility (bottom right).
(Los Angeles, CA) Today, the centerpiece of Los Angeles International Airport's (LAX) multi-billion-dollar modernization program achieved a major milestone as the last concrete was poured for the Automated People Mover's (APM) 2.25-mile elevated guideway structure.
“The Automated People Mover will be so much more than another way to get to LAX – it’s the piece of the puzzle that will end the congestion that has been plaguing our airport for decades,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This project is a historic investment in our city’s transportation future, and today’s milestone brings us another step closer to our ultimate goal: bringing modern, reliable public transportation to our airport.”
"Los Angeles no longer has to imagine a transformed LAX, rather we can see the future through our own eyes with the completion of the 2.25 miles of Automated People Mover guideway that will one day soon carry train cars filled with travelers and employees," said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles World Airports. "Over the last two-and-a-half years, we have seen the guideway rise up from its foundation to become a fully completed track, providing us a glimpse at what will provide time-guaranteed access to the airport, ensuring greater mobility for all of those coming to and from LAX."
Guideway construction began in November 2019 with the first underground support columns being placed, followed by the first column pours in January 2020 and the first guideway segment pour in September 2020. A total of 69,700 cubic yards of concrete were poured since 2019 to complete the structure, along with more than one million work hours.
Workers pour the last of 69,700 cubic yards of concrete to complete the guideway structure.
The last major pour for the guideway structure took place over Sepulveda Boulevard and completed on April 1 after two-and-a-half months of construction. It was the last of three cast-in-place segmentally constructed bridges on the project, the first of which was completed over Century Boulevard last December. The other span, built over Parking Structure 2B in the Central Terminal Area, was fully connected on March 19. Each of these three sections were constructed one short segment at a time with a traveling form system.
The concrete segments were cast in formwork and supported by larger traveling platforms. After the segments were formed and cured, the traveling platforms would move further ahead to help form the next segment. This process repeated on both ends of each span until the traveling platforms met in the middle. The superstructure over Sepulveda Boulevard was built in 12 segments, each approximately 15 feet in length, culminating with a 7.5-foot closure pour.
Click here to view an educational video on cast-in-place segmental construction. Click the image below to see time-lapse footage of the section over Sepulveda Boulevard being constructed.
Construction of the segment over Sepulveda Boulevard (top left and right), along with a erial views of the segment from the end of December 2021 (bottom left) and the end of March 2022 (bottom right).
"The completion of the guideway is a remarkable milestone for the project as we are one step closer to realizing a new transportation experience at one of the world's busiest airports," said Sam Choy, Project Director at LINXS Constructors. "We'll soon build off of this accomplishment with train car testing later this year."
With the guideway structure now complete, work will continue on building the plinths, which is what the train cars ride on, as well as construction of the emergency walkway on the guideway. The train stations, which are already under construction, will continue to progress with the last steel being placed for the Center and West CTA stations in the coming months. The train Maintenance and Storage Facility will be electrified this summer in preparation for the arrival of train cars.
The centerpiece of LAX’s Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP), the APM is a 2.25-mile electric train system that will transport travelers in and out of the CTA, connecting them to new off-site parking facilities, regional light rail transportation and the Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility. The APM project is a critical investment into the infrastructure of Los Angeles as the city prepares to welcome the world to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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 Facility. The APM is expected to relieve congestion within the CTA and in turn the surrounding thoroughfares, thereby reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled.
To learn more about LAX's modernization, visit FlyLAX.com/TransformingLAX.
Fairbanks International Airport Baggage Transport Conveyor Enhanced With Mod Drive™ System
Airports face a host of unique industry challenges, such as meeting efficiency regulations and seeking out the best maintenance practices to reduce costs and keep operations flowing. In today’s current economic climate, any potential cost savings can go a long way.
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