The Brand-New LAX People Mover Train: What You Need to Know

Going through the LAX can be an overwhelming experience these days. Endless lines of bumper-to-bumper traffic are a constant for those who arrive and leave this airport. In 2017, the LAX received more than 84 million passengers and based on statistics it’s the second busiest airport in the world, only behind the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, also in the US.

However, even when the numbers show a stunning reality, the Los Angeles International Airport is getting behind in terms of infrastructure and mobility. Fortunately, this is about to change.

The Landside Access Modernization Plan is going to reduce the overwhelming LAX traffic and make things easier for the millions who visit this airport. This approved plan includes as one of its main elements a highly modern people mover.

The Solution to a Critical Issue

Today, people can spend almost an hour moving within the LAX, from one terminal to another, arriving or leaving. For decades now, this has been a serious situation, representing the biggest roadblock to providing a satisfying service.

The new people mover is going to change this soon. With six stops, three within the terminals and the other three placed outside, users will have the chance to move around in just a couple of minutes, not more than that.

It has been told publicly that the people mover will be completely free and will operate 24/7. The construction of this rail train will come along with three structures that will comprehend everything that is needed to give proper access to the users, like escalators and walkways.

An Announcement to Celebrate

A project like this new people mover is something that comes quite late but continues to be greatly appreciated. Running every two minutes, the users will have the chance of getting onboard and moving without relying on cars or buses, the protagonists in the dreading traffic lines nowadays.

Yes, it’s something that this airport’s users will applaud. In order to make this possible, $4.9 billion were approved by the Los Angeles City Council, a decision that was taken unanimously.

Deadlines and Lawsuit

According to those in charge of the project, the people mover is going to be fully operative by 2023, working on a generous deadline. It’s important to mention that a huge motivator behind this project is the 2018 Summer Olympics, a major event that will take place in California.

Nonetheless, the Landside Access Modernization Plan may find some resistance. Potential delays may come as the result of a pending lawsuit. TPS Parking Century and TPS Parking Management, which are the operator companies in charge of the parking lots near to the LAX, are suing Los Angeles over this development project.

The reasons: an operating people mover for the airport would greatly affect the parking revenue. Today, millions of users are forced to use these parking lots and this is because the lack of proper transportation to get in and out, like what the people mover will represent.