Sixth and Final LAX People Mover Station Topped Out With Structural Steel

Flatiron is proud to be part of the team building the Automated People Mover at Los Angeles International Airport. Another important step in this transformative project has been achieved. This news release was issued by the project owner, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

(Los Angeles) Today, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced a new achievement in the ongoing modernization of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as the last structural steel beam was placed for the Automated People Mover (APM) train stations.

The largest of the six stations being built, the West Central Terminal Area (CTA) station, saw the last of nearly 2,000 tons of structural steel set in place with today’s topping out.

The 1.2-million-square-foot station will connect the train system to Terminals, 3, 4 and 5, in addition to Tom Bradley International Terminal, via elevated pedestrian bridges. It will feature an open space with a programmable 800-square-foot LED screen and public art from LA-based creators. The station’s structural glass walls and high-performance coated metal panel cladding will support its mid-century modern aesthetic, honoring the architectural heritage of LAX.

“The vision of a fully connected LAX is coming to fruition, and with the last placement of station steel today, we continue to see the transformation unfold thanks to the skilled hands of so many local workers who are building our future,” said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “The West Central Terminal Area station will be a beautiful addition to the system with visually pleasing digital elements and architecture that will welcome tens of millions of travelers each year.”

Whether renting a car, returning home to pick up their own car, or catching a train to downtown on Metro’s light rail system, travelers will be transported within minutes via the APM system. From the West CTA station, the last stop on the route inside the CTA, it will take just a six-minute ride to reach the LAX Economy Parking facility, eight minutes to the station that will connect to the future Airport Metro Connector Station and 10 minutes to the future Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility during peak operations (9 a.m. to 11 p.m.).

The last structural steel for an APM station was lifted by crane and then attached by iron workers.

Signing the last structural station steel beam prior to it being hoisted into place.

LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS), the developer on the APM project, began foundation work at the West CTA site in February 2020, following months of enabling work. A total of 127 piles were built to support the West CTA station, as well as smaller piles to support the nearby pedestrian bridges.

“The completion of station structural steel marks another significant step forward for the project,” said Sam Choy, Project Director at LINXS Constructors. “After construction on the stations is completed later this year, we can begin testing the system’s automated vehicles and prepare the system for public use.”

Work on the station façades, internal systems and vertical cores is scheduled to continue this year. In addition, the placement of the project’s final pedestrian bridge, connecting the West CTA station to Tom Bradley International Terminal, is scheduled for placement this fall. In total, the structural steel used on the stations, bridges and vertical cores weighs in at more than 9,000 tons.

LINXS Constructors continues work on four other APM stations:

• At the Center CTA station, roofing operations continue following the topping out of structural steel in late May 2022. Structural steel is also being installed to connect the station to pedestrian bridge structures and vertical cores at Terminals 2 and between 5 and 6.
• At the East CTA station, glass walls have been installed on the station platform as exterior work progresses. Structural steel is also being placed for a pedestrian bridge that will connect the station to Terminals 7 and 8.
• At the Economy Parking station, work continues on pedestrian bridge finishes and wall and ceiling exterior panels. As the station nears completion, the team is preparing the location for electrification later this fall.
• At the Intermodal Transportation Facility-East station, which will connect to the future Airport Metro Connector station, fireproofing, escalators and entry-level glass work have been completed. Exterior wall panel installation also continues to progress.

Click here to access printable QR Codes and scan to view a virtual reality model of the West CTA station as well as select views of other APM stations.

The centerpiece of LAX’s Landside Access Modernization Program, 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 host the 2028 Olympic Games. 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.

Aerial views of the West CTA station from the end of July in 2020 (top left), 2021 (top right) and 2022 (bottom).

Passengers will be welcomed by an 800-square-foot LED screen when exiting Tom Bradley International Terminal to take the APM train at the West CTA station.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

LAX, the fifth-busiest airport in the world in 2021 with 48 million passengers, is in the midst of a $15-billion capital improvement program that will touch on all nine passenger terminals and build new facilities, including an Automated People Mover (APM) train, Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility and the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal.

In 2019, LAX served nearly 88.1 million passengers and offered an average of 700 daily nonstop flights to 113 destinations in the U.S. and 1,200 weekly nonstop flights to 91 markets in 46 countries on 72 commercial airlines.

LAX generates 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 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 (LAWA), a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.

LAWA is leading the aviation industry in sustainability practices, with initiatives related to water management, energy (electricity) management, air quality, recycling and natural resources management. In 2019, LAX received Level III ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation from Airports Council International-Europe.

LAWA is also a leader in inclusivity, operating eight programs that provide opportunities for business enterprises including local, small, minority-owned, veteran-owned and disadvantaged firms, and working together with community partners to offer the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program, which targets local workers to make them ready for rewarding careers in the construction trades, and the Build LAX Academy, designed to prepare small contracting businesses for success when working on projects at LAX.

LAX was named a top-10 U.S. airport by SKYTRAX in 2018, and was honored as the “Most Innovative Airport for Passenger Experience” in 2019 by the American Association of Airport Executives. LAX is the second-most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram, according to wego.com. Other recent honors have included selection as the No. 9 Best Airport (Wall Street Journal); No. 7 Best On-Time Performance for a Mega-Hub Airport (OAG); one of “The World’s Best Airports for Business Travelers” (GlobeHunters); Public-Private Partnership of the Year (P3 Bulletin); Urth Caffe, Best Airport Coffee Concession of the Year (Global FAB Awards); Innovation of the Year, Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility (ARTBA); Best Project, United Airlines Terminal 7 and 8 Redevelopment Program (Engineering News Record California); North American Public-Private Partnership Deal of the Year (IJ Global); and Innovative Transportation Solution of the Year, Automated People Mover (WTS LA).

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.

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