LOS ANGELES, CA, 08/05/05 / MARKET WIRE/ -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today said it would provide $38.8 million to help reconfigure the southside runway complex at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in order to reduce the potential for runway incursions at the airport. The project is necessary for the construction of a parallel taxiway between the two runways, part of an effort to improve safety at the nation's fourth-busiest airport.
Although the City of Los Angeles must first complete a local environmental review and approval processes before it can begin construction, the FAA is looking to complete its actions to move this important project forward as soon as possible.
The project -- one of the "green light" items in the LAX Master Plan -- will relocate Runway 7R/25L approximately 56 feet to the south. This will then allow for the construction of the parallel taxiway between Runways 7R/25L and 7L/25R. The new taxiway will prevent aircraft from inadvertently crossing Runway 7L/25R when moving to and from the terminal complex -- a major factor in the airport's relatively high rate of runway incursions.
"By reducing the potential for incursions, the new center taxiway will improve safety for the millions of Americans who travel to and from LAX each year," said FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey. "The FAA looks forward to working with the City of Los Angeles and LAX to see this project through to its successful completion."
In addition to moving Runway 7R/25L, the project includes building new connector taxiways and installing new navigational aids and airfield lighting. The FAA grant for the project will come from the agency's Airport Improvement Program.
Following a half-dozen runway incursions on the south end of LAX earlier this year, the FAA requested that Los Angeles World Airports -- the city agency that owns and operates LAX -- develop and implement temporary, short-term measures to minimize incursions until the runway reconfiguration project is completed.
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