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 the Aug. 5 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.).
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.
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.
