A people-mover system that will carry passengers through Los Angeles International Airport was a step closer to reality Monday thanks to the demolition of the final building that needed to be razed to accommodate a maintenance and storage facility.
The structure at 9520 Belford Ave. was demolished over the past week as part of the Landside Access Modernization Program, which includes the Automated People Mover that will connect airport terminals with off-site parking and other locations.
“The Landside Access Modernization Program is comprised of several smaller elements that combine for one mega-project that will transform LAX and airport experience,” said Bernardo Gogna, LAMP program executive with Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that oversees the airport.
The storage facility will be 111,000 square feet and include washing and maintenance shops for the people-mover train cars. It will also be the people-mover control center, where the trains will be controlled via 24-hour surveillance.
The project will feature a new two-lane roadway called Maintenance Drive, which will connect 96th Street to Arbor Vitae Street and provide direct access for employees to the facility.
The people mover is scheduled for completion in 2023 and will features six stations that will connect terminals to new off-site parking facilities, new drop-off and pick-up locations, a rental car facility and the regional light rail system. End-to-end, the ride should take 10 minutes, with trains running every two minutes, LAWA officials said.
Grading of the site and utility work will continue through summer. By late fall, construction of the foundations will begin.