LAX Automated People Mover

LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS), a Fluor joint venture, was selected by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Automated People Mover (APM). The LAX APM will provide reliable, time-certain access to the airline terminals for passengers and employees. Anticipated use is 30 million passengers when it first opens, with a capacity for up to 85 million.

The LAX APM is LAWA's first public-private partnership (P3) project. The project includes a total of six stations, five of which Fluor is building, that will connect a new Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility, Economy Parking, new locations for pick-up/drop-off and the long-awaited connection to regional transportation. The project will transform the experience for travelers at one of America's busiest and most iconic airports while bringing jobs and workforce development opportunities to the local community.

Client's Challenge

LAX is the third-busiest airport in the world and second busiest in the United States, based on the number of passengers. To alleviate existing congestion, LAWA is making a historic investment in Los Angeles' infrastructure. At peak hours, the APM will have nine trains, each with four cars. Each car will carry up to 50 passengers and their luggage, with a total of 200 passengers per train.

Trains will be available at each station every two minutes during peak, with a total of 10 minutes' travel time end-to-end. For easy access, the APM trains will have large, wide doors, and each car will have 12 seats designated for travelers in need. The APM will be free for all users and operate at all times.

Fluor's Solution

LINXS, the selected APM developer, is utilizing the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision® framework for delivering exceptional improvements in the social, economic and environmental conditions of the community.

LINXS has built partnerships with community-based organizations to focus on expanding the pipeline of workers, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds. Through more than $1 million in investments, the project will create infrastructure career pathways for women, former foster youth, individuals in reentry and transitioning out of gang involvement and persons with disabilities. HireLAX, LAWA's Apprenticeship Readiness Program, will be a key partner in this effort, as will other resources offered by the Building Trades and other industry partners.

To support emerging businesses and the local workforce, $870 million has been identified for local, small or disabled veteran-owned businesses, with $165 million committed exclusively to local, small businesses in Los Angeles. The project will create more than 2,000 construction jobs, with at least 30 percent of those opportunities reserved for residents of Los Angeles as well as highly impacted communities near LAX. Sixty percent of careers during the 25-year operations and maintenance phase are designated for local workers.

In addition to reducing traffic, the APM will leverage cutting-edge sustainability practices to reduce the airport area's carbon footprint. The system's fleet will consist of 44 cars that are fully electric powered and generate a portion of their own power through regenerative braking, while providing an industry-leading ride quality for users. The operations control center and maintenance facility will generate nearly half of its power from solar energy and is designed to be LEED® Gold Certified. These design enhancements allowed the team to offset the carbon equivalent of 12 million vehicle miles driven.

Fluor will participate in every phase of the 30-year project and will lead the design-build joint venture team. Design activities began in 2018, with construction starting in 2019. The project will benefit from Fluor's mega-project and transit expertise, including the Eagle Commuter Rail P3 project in Denver and the design-build MBTA Green Line Light Rail Extension in Boston.

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Conclusion

LINXS, a Fluor joint venture, was selected by LAWA to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the LAX Automated People Mover. The APM, LAWA's first P3 project, will provide reliable access to airport terminals and facilities for passengers and employees, alleviating congestion at the second-busiest airport in the United States.

The project broke ground in March 2019. Passenger service is scheduled for 2023, after which Fluor, as part of LINXS Operators, will provide approximately 25 years of operations and maintenance services.