Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has broken ground on the Airport Metro Connector (AMC) Project, a $898.6-million endeavor that will directly connect the Metro system to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) when complete in 2024.
The Airport Metro Connector Project (AMC) is the ninth station along the Crenshaw/LAX Line currently under construction. When complete, it will connect directly with the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Automated People Mover project — a train connecting travelers directly to airport terminals that is expected to be complete in 2023.
The new AMC station located at Aviation Boulevard and 96th St. includes platforms to access Metro Rail trains, an expansive 16-bay bus plaza, a bike hub, a private vehicle drop-off zone, and direct access to the LAX people mover. The station will also feature a new Metro customer service center, interactive information kiosks, public restrooms, and commercial space for tenants.
The rail station portion of the project will contain two platforms that will be accessed via escalators and elevators, ADA compliant swing door faregates, and a full roof covering over the entire platform. The project has been designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating with sustainable features that include 550,000-plus kilowatts of solar panels, large native landscaping areas, and electric bus charging stations.
LAX is in the midst of a $14.5 billion Capital Improvement Program, the largest airport project of its kind in the nation. The overhaul touches all nine passenger terminals and builds new facilities, including an Automated People Mover train; a Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility; and the Intermodal Transportation Facility-West, a 4,300 stall parking structure.
“The Airport Metro Connector is a historic step toward reimagining how travelers experience our airport — a turning point that will be a source of jobs and economic growth, reduce congestion, and help our airport realize its potential as a world-class gateway to Los Angeles,” Garcetti said in a statement.
The new transport hub, planned for completion in 2024, includes platforms to access Metro light rail trains and an expansive 16-bay bus plaza that will serve Metro and other municipal bus operators in the region. Metro says the AMC will serve as a true “Multi-Modal Transit Gateway” to LAX by connecting travelers directly with the Automated People Mover (APM) project presently being built at the airport, which in turn connects directly with passenger terminals.
LAX’s Automated People Mover
The APM, slated to be fully operational in 2023, is a 2.25-mile elevated electric train system that will deliver passengers and employees between LAX and new facilities for transit, car rental and offsite parking.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) says the $2 billion APM project is “an historic investment in Los Angeles’ emerging businesses and workforce.” Noting that, “more than $585 million has been identified for local, small or disabled veteran-owned businesses,” LAWA says the project “will create more than 2,000 construction jobs, with 30% of those opportunities being reserved for residents of Los Angeles as well as highly impacted communities near LAX.”
“Everyone traveling to or from LAX should have access to modern, reliable public transportation that gets them to their destination on time,” Garcetti said.
