LAX People Mover train continues and accelerates construction during pandemic
LAX announced the removal of a pedestrian bridge this week ahead of their predicted schedule due to decreased travel at the airport.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- This week LAX removed a pedestrian bridge to make way for the new People Mover Station. The People Mover, scheduled to be completed in 2023, will be an automated electric train system that will operate on a two and a quarter mile path with six stops.
The demolition of the bridge was originally not planned to occur until late next year, but Justin Erbacci, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, said they were able to move up the schedule.
"With the decline in passenger volume during the COVID pandemic," Erbacci said. "We've been able to actually accelerate some of the work, especially here in the Central Terminal Area."
The train will transport travelers in and out of the Central Terminal Area and connect them to a new rental car facility that is also currently being built.
"We will absolutely revolutionize the way that our guests access and come to and from LAX," Erbacci said. "And will open up the traffic in ways that we haven't seen here at LAX before."
According to LAX officials, in 2019 LAX was the second busiest airport in the U.S. with 88.1 million passengers. Erbacci said since the pandemic, the numbers have decreased, but they are slowly starting to rise again.
"I think it would alleviate a lot of the traffic by not having as much cars at the airport," said LAX traveler Shannon Benedict.
"It was horrible. It was so much traffic. It will take you at least like 30 to 45 minutes just to get through like the tunnel area just to get into the airport," said LAX traveler Markisha about traffic at the airport pre-pandemic. "I believe the train coming into the airport would help out even more."
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