LAX completes pedestrian bridge to connect future train system, terminals

Three out of six pedestrian bridge structures to connect LAX terminals to the future Automated People Mover stations in the Central Terminal Area have been successfully placed, the airport announced Thursday.

The latest bridge to be complete crosses over World Way and will connect West Central Terminal Area station to Terminal 3 when the Automated People Mover train system is completed.

“With the completion of this operation, the steel structures for half of the pedestrian bridges over World Way have been successfully installed,” said Jake Adams, deputy executive director of the airport’s $5.5 billion Landside Access Modernization Program. “As the airport continues to undergo major landside and airside modernization efforts, these pedestrian bridges are a prelude to the future of connected travel at LAX.”

The final bridge was completed over the course of four evenings as partially pre-fabricated steel trusses were assembled and lifted into place. Each weighed between 56,000 and 97,000 pounds and were lifted with a 350-ton crane. Next, crews will install underdeck scaffolding to allow construction above the roadway and minimize the impacts of the public.

The two other already-complete pedestrian bridges connect the West Central Terminal Area station to Terminal 4.5 and the Center CTA station to Terminal 2. The remaining bridges will be located at Terminal 1, Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 5.5.

The 2.25-mile Automated People Mover is the centerpiece of the airport’s modernization program. The train system will have six total stations – – three inside the Central Terminal Area and three outside the CTA, which will connect the train system to L.A. Metro and a car rental facility.

Officials expect the train system to be ready in 2023, and the full modernization project is expected to be completed ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, being held in Los Angeles.

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