The Los Angeles board of airport commissioners has unanimously approved moving forward with a $4 billion plan to transform LAXs ground transportation and arrival and departure experience. The future Landside Access Modernization Programme includes a new automated LAX Train that will connect passengers to the airline terminals from new facilities at the airport including a Rental Car Center, multiple locations for passenger pick-up and drop-off, and Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard. The plan is designed to relieve congestion in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) as well as on local streets surrounding the gateway. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who chairs the metro board of directors, explains: “Today we are moving one step closer to bringing rail to LAX and building the world-class airport our residents and visitors deserve. “The automated train to LAX, consolidated Rental Car Center and new passenger check-in facility will not only save time for travellers, but it will also ease traffic at the airport, on our freeways and in the surrounding neighborhoods. “The LAX train will also improve our local economy as part of our airport modernization programme that will create 40,000 jobs, remodel terminals and dramatically upgrade the passenger experience at LAX.” The board’s vote sets the groundwork for the LAX Landside Access Modernization Programme to begin the environmental review process in January 2015, and construction is expected to begin in 2017. Sean Burton, president of the board of airport commissioners, says: “This programme will transform how people travel to and from LAX in the future. “We are committed to building a system that will relieve congestion, encourage transit use and create a reliable, efficient, time-certain arrival and departure experience for residents and visitors.” The LAX Landside Modernization Programme includes the following elements: - a new automated LAX Train to connect the passenger terminals to the Rent-A-Car Center, multiple pick-up and drop-off facilities and Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard. - provides free, fast, reliable and convenient access to terminals for passengers, employees and other users of LAX 24/7, 365 days a year. - includes three stations in the Central Terminal Area connecting to the airline terminals with a convenient pedestrian walkway system. - encourages passenger pick-up and drop-off outside the Central Terminal Area. - designed specifically for travellers with luggage. a single Rent-A-Car Center that will consolidate all rental car companies into one convenient location connected to the airport by the LAX Train. - improves the customer experience for visitors renting cars at LAX. - eliminates the need for rental car shuttles. - provides rental car customers direct access to major freeways. - new locations for arrival, departure, pick-up and drop-off outside the Central Terminal Area connected to the airport by the LAX Train. - offers new convenient parking with direct access to the LAX Train. - provides easily accessible and comfortable areas to meet and greet passengers. - creates new pick-up and drop-off locations with access to other hotel and airport shuttles. - includes retail, F&B options and other amenities. - a quick connection to Metro’s planned Crenshaw Line station at 96th Street/Aviation Boulevard. - the LAX Train will link the airport to Metro’s transit station and provide a connection to the region. Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director Los Angeles World Airports, explains: “This is an important commitment to Los Angeles. The board’s decision today means local residents and visitors to LAX won’t have to wait a generation to benefit from these improvements. Improvements are happening now.” The Landside Access Modernization Program is part of the overall LAX modernization plan and will go through a comprehensive environmental review and approval process before it can proceed.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 22:55:40 +0000