LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles City Council today approved a $4.9 billion contract for the design and construction of an Automated People Mover system at Los Angeles International Airport that will carry passengers among terminals and connect with nearby rail lines.
The 30-year contract, approved on a 14-0 vote, was awarded to a consortium of companies known as LAX Integrated Express Solutions, and also covers operation and maintenance of the 2.25-mile elevated guideway.
The system is expected to be completed by 2022, when testing will begin in advance of the People Mover opening to the public in early 2023.
``Making LAX the most passenger-friendly airport in the world means giving travelers what they need and have been asking for -- reliable, convenient transportation to and from the terminals,'' Garcetti said. ``This historic investment will ensure that LAX is seamlessly connected with communities across the region.''
According to Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that operates the airport, the People Mover will feature driverless trains traveling among six stations -- three inside the airport terminal loop and three outside the airport. The system is expected to connect with the Metro Green and Crenshaw/LAX light rail lines.
Electric-powered trains are expected to operate every two minutes, with each train carrying up to 200 people.
LAWA officials anticipate the system will be used by 85.1 million passengers per year.
``The new Automated People Mover will transform the LAX experience for travelers by removing the frustration of the tangled traffic inside the horseshoe,'' said Councilman Joe Buscaino, chair of the Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee. ``Coupled with the new consolidated rent-a-car facility and the LAX/Crenshaw line, in a few short years going to LAX will become stressless for generations to come.''