Inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA), significant progress at the sites of the APM stations is readily apparent. Recent milestones include:

• Removal of a pedestrian bridge linking Terminal 2 to Parking Structure 2A made room for the Terminal Vertical Core project at Terminal 2 and the pedestrian walkways that will connect it to the APM system
• Completion of underground utility work as well as placement of foundation concrete and columns for the new parking structure at the future West CTA station
• Progression at the future Center CTA station. The columns that will support the station’s platform level are now complete, making way for guideway construction at this location.
• Advancement of guideway construction at and around the future East CTA station. Concrete placement for the guideway deck continues, with some areas now complete and stripped of the formwork.
• Commencement of the guideway columns within the northbound and southbound ramps at Century and Sepulveda boulevards

Outside the CTA, guideway construction moved entirely above ground with the placement of the final guideway cast-in-drilled-hole piles, and the first true station construction activities began at the future Intermodal Transportation Facility (ITF)-West following the completion of the guideway segment servicing it. Recent milestones include:

• Erection of falsework and commencement of formwork construction for the segment east of Sepulveda and south of Century Boulevard
• Stripping of guideway falsework has revealed the first segments of completed guideway superstructure at the future ITF-West station and moving southwest across 96^th Street toward Century Boulevard, a trend which will continue
• Construction of the future ITF-West station has begun with grading, underground utilities and the installation of foundations and steel for the station’s elevators
• Successful placement of the system’s last six guideway cast-in-drilled-hole piles on 96^th Street, while column construction has also begun at this location
• Advancement of guideway construction near the future ITF-East Station. Formwork has been stripped of the segment that passes over the future Metro K Line (formerly Crenshaw/LAX Line), revealing a completed guideway deck
• Falsework now connects the APM guideway to the ConRAC facility

Milestones at the APM system’s Maintenance and Storage Facility include:

• Advancement of work on the guideway segment providing access to and from the Maintenance and Storage Facility. Columns for the elevated portion have been constructed and work is nearly complete on the section that will bring the guideway to grade.
• Installation of APM switches has begun on the testing and maintenance tracks
• Commencement of finishing work, including interior drywall installation and train canopy paint application

Construction of the first pedestrian bridge over World Way will begin this spring, starting at Terminal 4.5.

In the coming months, construction will begin on the pedestrian walkways that will eventually connect the APM stations to the terminals. Installation of APM guiding elements will bring track construction into a new phase at the system’s Maintenance and Storage Facility and work will begin on the concrete train tracks on the elevated guideway along the APM alignment. Preparations are also underway to construct the portion of guideway that will span Century Boulevard using a cast-in-place construction technique that eliminates the need for falsework.

Key milestones achieved this winter at the future ConRAC facility include: 

• Installation of three tower cranes and removal of one
• Completion of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Temporary Power Substation System building structure
• Completion of the suspended slabs on the Ready Return building
• "Topping off" for the Quick Turn Around building, with the last of 43,800 cubic yards of concrete being poured
• Installation of the underground fueling tanks and water filtration system for dirty water (reclaimed) at the car wash
• The start of steel erection for the APM station canopy

LAX ConRAC Partners look forward to even more noteworthy construction work this spring including:

• Ongoing utility and road work on Arbor Vitae Street, La Cienega Boulevard and the future extension of Concourse Way
• Continued installation of solar panels, car wash equipment, elevators/escalators, vehicle lifts and fuel dispensers in the Quick Turn Around building
• Installation of exterior stair structures of the Ready Return/Idle Storage building
• Ongoing placement of wiring and infrastructure in the ceilings and behind the walls in preparation for tenant fit-outs
• Concrete work throughout the entire project
• Construction of speed ramps for the Ready Return/Idle Storage building, which take you directly to the correct floor for your return as well as from the floor you rent on directly to ground.

The ITF-West project continued with ongoing finishing work as LAX gets ready to open it to the public later this summer. This work included:

• Exterior façade installation
• Painting and pavement markings
• Glazing
• Electrical and network equipment installation
• Information Technology Systems (Parking and Revenue Control System, Parking Guidance System, Communications, Security) installation
• Roadway utilities (water, storm drain)
• Installing Pavers
• Emergency Generator

Key work that will take place over the next three months includes: 

• Energize the building with permanent power
• Equipment start-up, testing, and commissioning
• Installation of rooftop polycarbonate panels
• Installation of pet relief area
• Curbs, sidewalks and asphalt paving

The purpose of the LAX RS-X project is to develop a new receiving station to address electrical power reliability, provide redundancy in the case of power outages and provide additional capacity for future infrastructure projects at LAX, including the LAMP projects. The station includes 34.5kV distribution and 230kV transmission. Recent work includes: 

• Construction of a Control Building with a footprint of approximately 4,800 square feet at the center of the station
• Construction of retaining walls around the RS-X site with finished landscaping on public-facing sides

With every project we build, LAWA challenges our contractor teams to deliver benefits for local workers and small, diverse businesses. Because our contractors continue to strive to meet the challenge, LAWA is proud of our partnerships and of the positive difference our projects are making for the local economy.

 

APM Project

The LINXS Constructors Inclusivity team continues its outreach to support local and small businesses, the local workforce and community organizations.

 

Recent offerings by the LINXS Training Institute of LA included workshops for the certified firm community on COVID-19 business recovery, safety and quality programs and other business-related topics. In addition to the Training Courses, LINXS also has a Mentor-Protégé Program for certified firms. Two firms recently completed the six-month program, during which the participants were matched with a mentor to create a customized development plan based on identified opportunities for growth.

 

The team also carried on with its efforts to continue meeting the Project’s 30% local hire commitment. LINXS Constructors partnered with subcontractors and community organizations such as 2nd Call, Flintridge Center, and Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles (WINTER) to provide resources and support for programming aimed at advancing this priority. These Construction Career Orientations and Pathway Planning Presentations are designed to provide career-building opportunities for local workers and strengthen the pipeline of local workers in anticipation of future workforce needs.

 

Engaging local youth in the exploration of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is also a key component of the Project’s investment into the local community. LINXS Constructors participated in a recent Construction, Architecture and Engineering career day hosted by Central High School and City of Angels as well as the Block Kids Building Competition event presented by National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Los Angeles Chapter.

 

In celebration of Women in Construction Week, LINXS Constructors hosted two events to showcase the contributions of several women working on the APM project. Roya Noorbakhsh, LINXS Chief Technical Officer, delivered a keynote presentation to the LINXS Women’s Leadership Network on the building influence of women in the construction industry. Later in the week, LINXS hosted a student-focused event featuring an all-female panel of construction and engineering professionals from LINXS Constructors, SoCal National Association of Minority Architects, CO Architects and LAWA.

ConRAC Project

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the ConRAC and LAWA are excited to make history of their own. The ConRAC became the first project in LAWA history to reach the 100+ new construction career milestone and eleven of these recent hires are women, which is four times the industry average. Additionally, women represent 28% of the project team staff. Seven of these women are in a management or leadership position.

 

LAXCP continues its commitment to diversity and creating opportunities through ongoing outreach to small and local businesses. As a part of its commitment to mentorship, LAXCP hosted a safety workshop for XBE firms to share practical tips on strengthening the safety culture of these firms. With a $50,000 sponsorship of the Prime Incubator 2.1 capacity building series, LAXCP served as a fiscal partner with the Southern California Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC), the oldest minority construction trade association in the United States. Through this partnership, there have been two events hosted since the beginning of the year with attendees representing various small, local, minority-owned, and other certified firms.

 

As we progress through 2021, LAXCP looks forward to creating even more opportunities for workers as well as small and local businesses.

Local Hire Spotlight - APM Project

Vivian Mayorga is a laborer (Local 300) on the APM project who specializes in underground work. Recruited to join the project by a superintendent with whom she had worked with on a previous project, Vivian has been working in the construction trades for two years now after leaving warehouse work in search for greater opportunity. Vivian has enjoys working on the APM because the complex nature of the project ensures that there is something new to learn nearly every day. The work is physically demanding but that does not dissuade her, in fact she feels empowered after a hard day of work. When asked if she feels as though her job puts her in a position to challenge stereotypes, Vivian wholeheartedly agreed. “I’ve had team members admit to me that I surprised them with my ability to keep up,” said Vivian. Her current superintendent also sang her praises. “Vivian is a thinker,” he said. “She works just as hard as anyone else, and always brings a great attitude to the job. I know she will be the woman-in-charge someday.”

 

Local Hire Spotlight - ConRAC Project

Lilia Huerta started her career in construction as a carpenter first period apprentice at the ConRAC facility project. A graduate of the Women In Non Traditional Employment Roles (WINTER) program, Lilia works for Morley Builders on the ConRAC. An East Los Angeles native, Lilia began her work life in minimum wage jobs at hotels, but her work in residential remodeling sparked her interest in construction. As a WINTER graduate, Lilia is now able to map out a career path. While she enjoys her career, it allows her to save for the future and her plans to pursue a degree in civil engineering.

 

Marisol Del Santiago, another WINTER graduate, works for Pan-Pacific Mechanical as a plumber first period apprentice on the ConRAC project. Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Marisol came to the United States at the age of seven. A self-described “hands-on" type of person, Marisol was dissatisfied with the remodeling work done on her mother’s house, so she taught herself how to do home improvement by watching videos online. Knowing about Marisol’s interest in Do-It-Yourself remodeling, a friend sent her a Facebook post about the WINTER program and now, Marisol is excited to start her career’s journey and looks forward to one day running her own contracting company.

 

Local Hire Spotlight - RS-X Project

Evod Newton (Laborer, Local Union 300) has been working on the early phases of the RS-X project as a laborer, employed by Atkinson Construction, a trade partner to Clark Construction. He has been recognized as a strong leader among his peers on the jobsite. Mr. Newton has an incredible story of perseverance as he struggled through a period of homelessness in his past. His interest in the construction industry helped him triumph through it and find great opportunities to become the successful employee that he is today. The adversity he overcame is a testament to his solid character and determination to succeed in his role and bring value to the Laborers Union Local 300. Evod enjoys spending time with his family on the weekends and playing video games in his free time. The project team at RS-X look forward to all of the great things he will accomplish not only on this project, but in his career. 

 

Certified Firm Spotlight - APM Project

Ronda Jackson of Décor Interior Design, Inc. was a recent participant in the LINXS Mentor Protégé Program, which pairs small business owners with mentors on the APM project. Décor Interior Design, Inc. provides full-service interior design and facility maintenance to airports, hospitals, hotels and offices for firms like Warner Bros., U.S. Bank and SoCal Gas. Jackson reports that her participation in the six-month Mentor Protégé Program resulted in the development of a more sustainable business strategy and new business connections that can be leveraged for future success.