A sight for sore eyes, an important milestone was reached on the LAX Automated People Mover project.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles World Airports announced that the final four train cars to be used on its People Mover track have arrived from their manufacturer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The system now includes 44 train cars, the first of which arrived more than two years ago.
The Automated People Mover, or APM, is the centerpiece of a multi-billion dollar modernization effort at LAX.
The 2.25-mile system aims to improve the passenger experience, alleviate traffic and connect one of the busiest airports in the world with better public transit with six new stations along its route, connecting to parking structures, car rental facilities and a new LA Metro transit facility in El Segundo.
Wednesday’s announcement was a refreshing good piece of news for a project that has made headlines for being both delayed and over budget.
The project was approved in 2018 and construction began in earnest the following year with an estimated completion date of March 2023. But the project has run into myriad issues, including disagreements and a strained relationship between Los Angeles World Airports and LINXS, the company chosen to operate the system.
The timeline for completion has since shifted, eventually delayed until 2024 and then 2025. It’s current target date for completion is Dec. 8, 2025, with weeks of testing to follow in hopes of becoming fully operational by January 2026.
Last month, the Los Angeles City Council approved an additional $550 million to get the project back on track and cover unexpected expenses.
LAX will be the first airport in the U.S. to use INNOVIA 300 APM cars, which officials say are designed to reduce hazardous emissions and have a variety of sustainable features, including a fully recyclable aluminum shell and a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy from braking into electricity like most hybrid automobiles.
John Ackerman, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, said the APM will “set a new standard for sustainable transportation.”
“As we move this project forward, we remain dedicated to delivering a state-of-the-art solution that reflects our commitment to our passengers, community and environment,” Ackerman said.
When fully operational, the APM will be in service 24 hours a day with trains arriving every two minutes during peak hours of 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The trip from end to end will take about 10 minutes with three stops inside the LAX terminal and three outside.
Each train car will feature audio and visual messaging systems, air-conditioning and “wide, level doors for easy boarding.” Each car is capable of carrying around 50 people with luggage and will typically run in four-car sets.
A December 2023 update from the California Public Utilities Commission, showed that the bulk of the project was already done with 93% of station work and 94% of guideway complete.
Shawn West, a LINXS constructors board member, said the arrival of the final trains will help the project advance from construction into the “extensive testing process” needed for each vehicle.
The multi-billion-dollar project is the largest contract ever awarded by the City of Los Angeles.