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The four steel sections for the pedestrian bridge structure that will link Terminals 5 and 6 to a future Automated People Mover station weighed a combined 212,400 pounds. | Photo courtesy of LAX
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Another pedestrian bridge structure was successfully placed over World Way at LAX to eventually connect Terminals 5 and 6 to the Automated People Mover’s Central Terminal Area central station, the airport announced Tuesday.
The bridge is the fifth of six bridge structures that have been placed since June 2021. The final structure will be placed later this year to connect Tom Bradley International Terminal to the West Central Terminal Area Station.
“Each new pedestrian bridge placed marks another step toward a transformed and more accessible LAX,” said Jake Adams, deputy executive director of the Landside Access Modernization Program.
“With five bridges now in place, we can better visualize how our terminals will connect to our future Automated People Mover train system and create an exceptional, connected and efficient experience for our guests and employees.”
The bridge uses “an uncommon design” known as the Vierendeel Truss due to engineering and aesthetic design requirements, according to LAX, which said the design was proposed by LAX Integrated Express Solutions. The Vierendeel Truss uses horizontal and vertical support elements, which eliminate the need for diagonal supports. The walkway features a streamlined profile and clean lines similar to mid-century modern design that are consistent with the airport’s architectural legacy, airport officials said.
The fifth bridge structure was placed over the course of four evenings. Partially pre-fabricated steel trusses were lifted into place and bolted together before crews installed the floor and roof beams to complete the structure.
The completion comes less than a week after the airport announced a major milestone in construction of its Automated People Mover, with the last concrete poured for the project’s 2.25-mile elevated guideway structure.
The train is the centerpiece of the airport’s modernization program and will have six total stations — three inside the Central Terminal Area and three outside the CTA. The People Mover will connect the train system to Metro rail and bus lines 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 in Los Angeles.
