APRIL MODERNIZATION HIGHLIGHTS: Key Updates on Construction Projects at LAX and VNY

04/01/2021 10:00 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2021

CONTACT:
LAWA Public Relations
(424) 646-5260
 Work is wrapping up inside Terminal 1.5, with operations scheduled to begin later this spring.
APRIL MODERNIZATION HIGHLIGHTS
Key Updates on Construction Projects at LAX and VNY
(Los Angeles, CA) Each month, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) shares updates on current and upcoming construction projects at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). This newsletter contains information about the status of projects within the terminals at LAX, as well as construction impacts to the airport roadways and the surrounding communities and improvements at VNY.

April promises to be a busy month at LAX as work continues on the Automated People Mover (APM) train guideway and stations, along with terminal vertical core and reconstruction projects in the Central Terminal Area (CTA). Work is expected to begin on the first new walkway from Terminals 4-5 to the future West APM station. Temporary pedestrian walkways are in place in the construction zones on the Upper/Departures Level, reducing the drop-off lane availability. Portions of Center Way are closed for APM guideway and station construction, with other roadways/lanes restricted overnight.
 
Work also continues on other elements of the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP), which includes the APM train, a Consolidated Rent-a-Car (ConRAC) facility, the APM Maintenance and Storage Facility and the Intermodal Transportation Facility-West (ITF-West). A link is available for webcams that allow the public to see the ongoing work by clicking here. Photo galleries are available here. An interactive map that includes current construction projects can be found here. For more information about specific lane closures and construction projects, click on the hard hats.

Progress continues on Central Terminal Area projects including the new headhouse for Terminals 2-3 (top left), and new vertical cores at the north end of Tom Bradley International Terminal (top right), between Terminals 4 and 5 (bottom left), and between Terminals 5 and 6 (bottom right).

Terminal Construction/Renovation:

  • Terminal 1: Work to tie Terminal 1 into Terminal 1.5 is wrapping up, with occupancy expected later this spring. The pedestrian bridge connecting Parking Structure 1 and the terminal is closed, with signs placed to direct passengers.
  • Terminals 2 and 3: Construction is taking place on a bridge to connect Terminals 1 and 2 on the secure side. The baggage claim has temporarily moved to the former Federal Inspection Services (customs) area. Signs direct guests to the area, where three carousels are available. COVID-19 testing is available on the north end of Terminal 2 on the Lower/Arrivals Level. The former Terminal 3 headhouse has been demolished as part of major reconstruction work.
  • Tom Bradley International Terminal: The north escalators and stairs located outside the terminal are temporarily closed due to vertical core construction. The central entrance on the Upper/Departures Level is also temporarily closed. Tunnels to allow access to the north entrances are open on both levels. On the Lower/Arrivals Level, the entrance on the north side of the terminal, facing Terminal 3, remains open. The stairway on the south end of the terminal is temporarily closed, but the escalators remain open. The bike rack on the Lower/Arrivals Level the south end of Tom Bradley has been temporarily relocated to Parking Structure 4. Barriers are in place in the north end of the terminal for construction of a domestic baggage claim. The down escalator from the north mezzanine is closed during construction of a route to the new domestic bag claim, but stairs and elevators remain available. Employees are routed to the south escalators to access the concourse. The north stairway and elevator remain available. New signage for the future West Gates is being installed at several locations inside the building.
  • Terminals 4 and 5: The renovation program continues. Baggage carousels 1 and 2 in Terminal 4 have been replaced and expanded, with carousels 3 and 4 taken off line during construction of a terminal vertical core. Carousels 5 and 6 are open in Terminal 5. Gate 51A is closed for construction of a terminal vertical core
  • Terminal 6: Gate 61 is closed for construction of a terminal vertical core.
  • Terminal 7: Construction walls have been removed in the ticketing lobby in the area of the future terminal vertical core. A staircase has temporarily replaced an escalator between the Upper/Departures Level and the Concourse Level. Nearby elevators remain available.
As construction continues on the Airport Police Facility's headquarters building, excavation has begun for the paseo that will run along Westchester Parkway.

Updates on Other Projects:

  • Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP): The 2.25-mile Automated People Mover (APM) train guideway is approximately 25 percent complete, while only 11 of 192 columns remain to be placed to support the guideway superstructure. Station construction has begun at the East CTA and Intermodal Transportation Facility-West (ITF-West) sites. Train car testing and assembly continues in Pittsburgh. At the Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility site, major concrete work is in the homestretch as the Quick Turn Around building, which will provide light maintenance for rental car vehicles, officially "topped off" in mid-March with the last suspended slab pour. The ITF-West is nearing completion as LAX gets ready to open the approximately 4,300 stall parking structure later this summer. The facility will become the first component of LAX's Landside Access Modernization Program to be completed and open to the public.
  • Airport Police Facility: Activities for the coming weeks at the headquarters building include the continuation of drop ceiling, interior doors, and glass partition installation. Also, restroom tile, and plumbing fixtures, sinks, and counter installation. Painting, carpet installation, and office cubicle frames are in progress. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire sprinkler work continues. Work at the parking structure includes the build-out of interior spaces, and completing the electrical and fire alarm systems work. Site work in progress includes rough grading at landscaped areas and on the Westchester Parkway side for the paseo, construction of concrete retaining walls, and the installation of a permanent perimeter fence on the north and east sides. Upcoming work includes construction of main driveway entrance, reconstructing intersection ADA ramps, a new sidewalk on the south side of 94th Street and utility connections in Loyola Boulevard, Westchester Parkway, and 94th Street.
The right drop-off lane in front of Terminals 2 and 3 on the Upper/Departures Level is closed for use as a temporary covered walkway for pedestrians during construction of a new headhouse.

Roadway and Transit Impacts in the Central Terminal Area:

  • World Way: Overnight lane closures are possible on the Lower/Arrivals Level for construction activities. 
  • Terminals 2 and 3: The right drop-off lane in the construction area on the Upper/Departures Level is closed for use as a temporary covered walkway. Starting April 9, the left lane will be closed continuously while two additional lanes will be closed overnight near the entrance to Parking Structure 2b on the Lower/Arrivals Level.
  • Tom Bradley International Terminal: Two drop-off lanes on the Upper/Departures Level on the northern side of the terminal are closed while a temporary, covered walkway is in place during work to add a terminal vertical core to the front of the building. Guests are encouraged to use the Terminal B Pick-Up area on the Lower/Arrivals Level at Parking Structure 3.
  • Terminals 4 and 5: Outer lane closures on the Lower/Arrivals Level will be required to construct the scaffolding supporting the pedestrian bridge construction at Terminal 4. One of the two drop-off lanes on the Upper/Departures Level has been replaced by a temporary, covered walkway during construction of a terminal vertical core.
  • Terminals 5 and 6: One of the two drop-off lanes on the Upper/Departures Level has been replaced by a temporary, covered walkway during construction of a terminal vertical core. The inner lanes are temporarily closed on the Lower/Arrivals Level, and stops for FlyAway bus and LAX shuttles have moved further east, for installation of a utility vault in the terminal vertical core construction area.
  • East Way: Overnight closures are possible on both levels for construction of the APM guideway. Northbound East Way is closed, except for access to the Bob Hope USO and the Federal Aviation Administration tower.
  • Center Way: Center Way between West Way and Theme Way is closed at all times. Daily and nightly full closures on Center Way from East Way to World Way will be implemented to support the construction of the APM guideway and stations. During peak travel hours (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.) travelers will be able to access the area. Vehicles exiting Parking Structure 1 will use Center Way west to East Way to exit the airport during work hours. A single night of full closure on Center Way from Theme Way to East Way is expected in order to facilitate concrete placement for the APM guideway.
  • Theme Way: Theme Way is closed between World Way and Center Way for APM construction through July 2022.
  • West Way: Northbound West Way is temporarily closed between World Way South and World Way North on the Lower/Arrivals Level for work on the APM. Southbound traffic will use the northbound lanes in the area of the construction, with egress from Parking Structure 2b, the entrance to Parking Structure 5 and pedestrian traffic maintained. Overnight lane closures are possible on both levels for construction of the APM guideway.
Central Terminal Area roadways with full-time lane closures as of April 1, 2021.

Northbound East Way is closed, except for flagger controlled access to the USO and FAA Tower.

Sidewalk/Walkway/Parking Structure Restrictions and Closures:

  • Real-Time Parking Updates: Parking structures are stating to fill up, and guests are encouraged to plan ahead. Check the latest information on parking avaiability by visiting the @FlyLAXstats Twitter feed. Guests can access maps with real-time information on parking availability by visiting https://www.flylax.com/en/parking-at-lax. Parking rates and a calculator to estimate costs can also be found on this webpage.
  • No Cash Accepted: Cashiers in Parking Structures 1, 2a, 5 and 6 cannot accept cash during the COVID-19 pandemic. All parking payments in these locations are card only. Payment machines for motorists who park in P2b, P3, P4 and P7 accept cash.
  • Parking Structure 1: During work to install a new electronic parking system, some spaces may be unavailable in April. Electric vehicle chargers are temporarily unavailable, with motorists advised to use chargers in Parking Structures 6 and 7. Approximately 20 spaces on each level are reserved for Low-Emission Fuel Efficient Vehicles. Traffic exiting the structure is directed west on Center Way to East Way and World Way South to exit the airport when work takes place at Center and Sky ways.
  • Parking Structures 2a/2b: The roof of P2a is temporarily closed. The pedestrian bridge from P2a to Terminal 2 has been removed. Guests can reach Terminal 2 from the Lower/Arrivals Level. The Lower/Arrivals Level entrance to P2b will be temporarily closed starting April 9. Motorists can access the structure from the Upper/Departures Level or use P2a or P3. A temporary exit is available from P2b onto West Way. In addition, P2b uses an automated payment system.
  • Tom Bradley International Terminal: The escalators and stairs on the north end of the building are temporarily closed. The staircase on the south end of the building is also closed. A temporary pedestrian walkway has been extended further south on the Upper/Departures Level during work on a new terminal vertical core.
  • Parking Structures 3 and 4: A temporary traffic pattern is possible at P3 to perform utility work. An automated payment system has replaced the cashier booths, with motorists exiting the structures onto World Way. Passenger pick-up is available on the ground level of P3 (Terminal B Pickup), with taxis allowed to use the western-most curb during a pilot.
  • Terminals 5 and 6: The sidewalk on the Lower/Arrivals Level will be closed for installation of a utility vault until later this spring. A detour is posted. The crosswalk to P6 and the COVID-19 testing lab will remain open.
  • Parking Structures 5 and 6: Work to install a new electronic parking system may reduce available spaces in April. The pedestrian bridge between Parking Structure 6 and Terminal 6 has been removed. Guests should access Terminals 5 and 6 from the Lower/Arrivals Level. 
  • Parking Structure 7: Utility work may reduce the number of spaces available on the ground floor.
  • Center Way: The sidewalk path between Terminal 7 and LAX-it is temporarily altered due to work on the APM at the corner of Center and Circle ways. The new pedestrian route is marked with detour signs.
  • World Way: The sidewalk on the north side of World Way east of Terminal 7, on the Lower/Arrivals Level, is temporarily closed. A detour is posted.
Work to restore the sidewalks in the vicinity of the new Metro Station may occasionally reduce lanes at the intersection of Century and Aviation boulevards.

Impacts Near LAX: 

  • Airport Boulevard: The right turn lane from southbound Airport Boulevard to 96th Street is closed during work on the APM guideway. Motorists can still turn right onto 96th Street at the traffic signal.
  • Arbor Vitae Street: Daytime lane closures are possible Monday-Saturday between Maintenance Drive and La Cienega Boulevard for installation of LADWP’s Permanent Power Duct Bank and utility investigation work for the future ConRAC facility.
  • Aviation Boulevard: One lane is closed in each direction between Century Boulevard and Arbor Vitae Street to facilitate APM construction. One through lane will remain open in each direction during the day, but nightly full closures may occur to complete utility work.
  • Aviation/Century boulevards: Work to restore the sidewalks at the intersection may occasionally close the right lane.
  • Century Boulevard: Nightly lane closures are possible later this month for construction activities in preparation for building the APM guideway over the roadway.
  • Century Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard: Nightly closures of the northbound and southbound ramps at Century and Sepulveda boulevards through the end of the month will facilitate construction of columns within the loops that will support the APM guideway.
  • Loyola Boulevard/Westchester Parkway: Work to install sewer and storm drains in the area of the Airport Police Facility may occasionally close lanes, but travel lanes in each direction will remain available.
  • 96th Street: APM column construction on 96th Street from Airport Boulevard to Bellanca Avenue is expected to extend into late May. Local access will be maintained and supported by traffic control. Non-local traffic traveling east on 96th Street will be routed to Century Boulevard. Non-local traffic traveling north on Bellanca Avenue will be routed westbound on 98th Street.
  • 98th Street: Due to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power construction of a new water main, 98th Street is limited to one westbound lane between Bellanca Avenue and Vicksburg Avenue until mid-2021. Metered parking is still available on the north side of the street.
  • Pershing Drive: Construction of a recycled water line will reduce lanes between Imperial Highway and World Way West weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Lanes between World Way West and Westchester Parkway may be reduced weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during work to install communications fiber.
  • Sepulveda Boulevard: The walls of the Sepulveda tunnel are scheduled to be washed overnight April 5-9. During the work, two lanes are closed each night, reducing one direction to a single lane.
  • Streets surrounding LAX: Intermittent, short-term lane closures may take place as needed on streets in the LAX area. Streets include Century Boulevard, 96th and 98th Streets, Airport Boulevard, Westchester Parkway/Arbor Vitae Street, and Aviation Boulevard. At least one through lane of traffic will be maintained at all times and access to businesses will be maintained.
  • Westchester Parkway: Lanes may be reduced weekdays between Pershing Drive and Falmouth Avenue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during work to install communcations fiber.
  • World Way West: Lanes will be reduced between Permits Road and Coast Guard Road during daytime utility installation work.

Please note that all dates provided in this notice are subject to change. Up-to-date construction alerts showing roadway lane restrictions and sidewalk closures in the terminal loop, as well as a pedestrian walking map and helpful airline terminal finder, can be found at www.flyLAX.comLAX also partners with Waze, the world’s largest community-based traffic reporting app, to provide enhanced information on conditions inside the airport and on nearby roadways. 

 

Clay Lacy Aviation has completed instation of a 500-kilowatt solar array on its roof at Van Nuys Airport.

Updates from Van Nuys Airport:

  • Aeroplex/Aerolease Group is managing three construction projects for Signature Flight Support, one of VNY’s Fixed Based Operators (FBOs). Signature North is scheduled for completion on July 1, 2021 and steel hangar frames have started to be put in place for the Signature Midfield project. Signature’s Ground Service Equipment project was completed on March 22. The Aeroplex/Aerolease Group projects continue to employ more than 350 people.
  • Clay Lacy Aviation announced that it completed installation of a 500-kilowatt solar array, covering approximately 30,000 square feet of roof space at the Clay Lacy facility at VNY. Generating 750,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, the system will offset the equivalent of 530 metric tons of CO2, the same amount of CO2 generated by driving more than 1.3 million passenger miles in an average car, or burning over 584,000 pounds of coal. Clay Lacy’s VNY energy costs will be reduced by 56 percent annually, and this project will help reduce their local power demands. Additional facility upgrades also include 200 energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures and 44 vehicle charging stations.
  • The Taxiway Alpha Rehabilitation Project continues to be on schedule and is expected to be completed in June 2021.

    About Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
    Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is the City of Los Angeles department that owns and operates Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation airports, as well as aviation-related property in Palmdale. Both play an integral role in helping to meet the Southern California regional demand for passenger, cargo and general aviation service. Both airports make a distinct contribution to the strength of the system as it provides a high level of safety, security and service for its customers, communities and stakeholders. More information can be found at flylax.com.

    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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