Inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA), the APM stations are taking shape. Recent milestones include:

• The completion of the concrete support structure for the East CTA station’s second level.
• Commencement of foundation work at the Center CTA station, with station construction picking up speed later in the year. Ongoing critical utility relocation work has facilitated this work.
• The conclusion of the majority of cast-in-drilled-hole foundations at the West CTA station.

Outside the CTA, progress continues at the Intermodal Transportation Facility-West (ITF-West) station and the system’s Maintenance and Storage Facility, while the spine of the system has become visible across the 2.25 mile length of the guideway as column construction advances. Recent milestones include:

• Construction of falsework spanning the 96^th Street roadway between Jenny and Vicksburg Avenues to advance guideway construction while keeping the roadway open for vehicular traffic.
• Near completion of the concrete support structure for the ITF-West station’s second level.
• Work on upper columns that will support the ITF-West station’s platform level has begun, hinting at the scale of what is to come.
• Finalization of preparations and utility relocations needed to begin heavy foundation construction on the north side of 96^th Street, between Airport Boulevard and Bellanca Avenue later in the year.
• Advancement of ITF-East station column construction.

The APM system's Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) progress includes:

• 65% completion of the MSF’s engineered metal building structure, with exterior wall panels and roofing scheduled for later this summer.

• The conclusion of concrete slab pours at the MSF site.

• Construction of the first segments of track in the train storage area.

Work will soon begin on the ITF-East station, which will provide the long awaited connection from the Metro system to the airport. In the coming months, the APM team is preparing for the guideway to cross Century and Sepulveda Boulevards. Demolitions of significant structures are underway to clear the way into the LAX Central Terminal Area for guideway construction at these locations.

Things are moving quickly at the future home of the ConRAC facility as LAX ConRAC Partners completed several milestones this spring. March activities included the first concrete footings pour for the Quick Turn Around (QTA) building, which will house light vehicle maintenance such as oil changes, car washes and refueling. The first vertical concrete pour took place. In April, perhaps the most dramatic element that occurred was the erecting of four tower cranes to help with some of the very heavy lifting on the project. At the end of May, the first slab-on-grade pour also took place at the QTA building.

Even more exciting construction work will take place this summer including: Still to come in June is the first suspended slabs (or upper levels) pours for the QTA. In July, the first slab-on-grade pour for the Ready Return/Idle Storage (RR/IS) building, which is the primary location for the rental cars. In August, the first suspended slabs for the RR/IS will be constructed. By the end of the year, we are expecting three additional tower cranes to go up to assist with construction.

Construction of the ITF-West, a 1.7-million-square-foot four-story parking structure that will connect to an APM station has been moving swiftly. Milestones include:

• The first of 24 slab-on-grade pours along with starting construction of three elevator shafts took place in March.
• Construction on the second-level continued with elevated slab pours for three for all six buildings comprising the facility. 
• The start of construction on the third floor began June 15.
• The final slab-on-grade pour took place June 16.

The next few months will see significant activity, with a prime focus on:

• Continuing concrete pours for the upper-level decks, with the goal of completing the final elevated deck pour this fall. This will bring the total number of slabs poured for the facility to 96.
• Installing the main power and internet for the building.
• In August, the first elevator activity will get underway.

After three years of critical infrastructure work, the LAWA Utilities and LAMP Enabling Project (LULEP) wrapped up in May, completing 38 projects that were vital to moving the future of LAX forward. 

Some of LULEP's key projects included:

• Underground duct bank relocations and installations, which will power the new facilities.
• Relocation of Avis and the LAX City Bus Center, which was needed to start construction of the ITF-West.
• Aviation detour road, which helps maintain vehicular access between Century Boulevard and Arbor Vitae Street during heavy construction.

There are more roadway and utility projects in the pipeline with the major one being the extension of 98th Street, which currently terminates at Bellanca Avenue. The roadway will be extended to the 405 Freeway, where new on- and off-ramps for the 405 South will be constructed. The extension of 98th Street is slated to open in 2023.

LAWA is creating opportunities for the local community and local and minority owned businesses to help build the future of LAX. Both the APM and ConRAC contracts have significant inclusivity and workforce development requirements and we are proud to see our developers meeting these standards. 

LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS), developer for the APM, has awarded a significant number of contracts to certified firms. In May, LINXS exceeded the project goal of hiring 100 first-period apprentices during construction. By the end of May 2020, LINXS had hired 115 first-period apprentices and awarded contracts or purchase orders to 171 certified firms, e.g. local, small and disabled veteran-owned businesses. In addition, LINXS has provided more than $425,000 of funding to local community organizations for workforce development, youth engagement and small business inclusion. These actions leverage infrastructure spending to re-envision the economic future of Los Angeles by investing in the local community.

LAX ConRAC Partners (LAXCP), developer for the ConRAC facility, is committed to creating opportunities for Los Angeles’ local, small, disadvantaged and disabled veteran businesses (XBE). So far, LAXCP has awarded 111 construction XBE contracts, three of which are graduates of the BuildLAX Academy, which prepares small contracting businesses for success when working on projects at LAX, with more than $48 million paid out. Additionally, LAXCP has awarded 23 design XBE contracts, with more than $19 million paid out to date.

 

To help build the ConRAC, LAXCP is committed to workforce development. Through sponsorship, LAXCP assisted 30 local residents in finding a new construction career. More than a quarter of which came directly from HireLAX, an apprenticeship readiness program sponsored by LAWA, the LA OC Building Trades Council, Parsons and the Flintridge Center. Local workers have been paid in excess of $3.5 million to date. More than a third of the hours worked on the ConRAC project come from local hires. As construction at the ConRAC continues, LAXCP’s investment in business and workforce development will continue to grow.

Experience, knowledge, and professionalism paid off for Monzon & Son Enterprises, proud graduate of the LAWA BuildLAX Academy, when the Lynwood-based commercial trucking firm joined the ConRAC team to haul off concrete and demolition debris. With more than 20 years of industry experience, the local firm certified as a DBE, SBE, MBE, and VSBE met the ConRAC inclusivity team at a capacity building program hosted by the National Association of Minority Contractors. With their BuildLAX experience and new relationships in tow, Monzon became an XBE partner with Environmental Construction Group.

Eduardo Huitron is a second-period carpenter apprentice (Local 562) who came to the APM project in August 2019 through the HireLAX program. Having previously worked in construction but in a non-union capacity, Eduardo applied to the HireLAX program after his aunt sent him a website link about the program. He enjoyed the challenge of the program’s eight-week training period, which included daily three-mile runs to build stamina for physically demanding work. He chose carpentry because he finds it interesting, and he looks forward to being able to provide for his young son.

Barbara McGee and Arnold Carter launched Barbold Enterprises, LLC just months before being awarded a $250,000 contract, the first public works contract for the young company, to provide street sweeping service on the ITF-West project. Before the award of the contract, they invested countless hours attending seminars, workshops and networking events to gain the knowledge and resources needed to be ready to participate in public works projects and were in the right place at the right time when Swinerton Construction was looking for street sweeping services.