Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has placed the final structural steel beam for Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) automated people mover (APM) stations.
The last of nearly 2,000 tonnes of structural steel has been set in place at the West Central Terminal Area station, which is the largest of six upcoming APM stations.
The 1.2-million-square-foot station will connect the APM to Terminals, 3, 4 and 5, as well as to the Tom Bradley International Terminal via elevated pedestrian bridges.
“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. 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 travellers each year.”
LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) began foundation work at the West Central Terminal Area site in February 2020. A total of 127 piles were built to support the station.
Work on the station is scheduled to continue this year and the final pedestrian bridge connecting the West Central Terminal Area station to Tom Bradley International Terminal is scheduled to be placed in autumn 2022.
“The completion of station structural steel marks another significant step forward for the project. 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.”
In total, more than 9,000 tonnes of structural steel has been used for the stations, bridges and vertical cores for LAX’s APM system.
This milestone follows the unveiling of the first APM train car at LAX last week.
