Automated People Mover at LAX will zip travelers around terminals to minimize traffic congestion
"The hell that we know LAX as is going to be a thing of the past," said Mayor Eric Garcetti.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The future of passenger travel around the terminals at the Los Angeles International Airport is coming.
For the first time, we're getting a close-up look at the Automated People Mover that's supposed to relieve traffic congestion when it opens.
The Automated People Mover, or APM, is an electric train system on a 2.5-mile elevated guidance with six stations in total, including three inside and outside of the central terminal area.
"This is an enormous milestone for our airport and for the dreams of building a city of the future," said Mayor Eric Garcetti.
LAX broke ground on the Automated People Mover Project in March 2019 and is expected to be completed next year.
"After decades of saying no, of airport directors who said, 'I don't want to give up my parking revenues,' of lines that came close to LAX and then ended, of people rolling their bags down Century Boulevard asking friends to pick them up or drop them off, the hell that we know LAX as, is going to be a thing of the past," said Garcetti.
During peak hours, the APM will run nine trains, each with four cars and will be capable of carrying 50 passengers and their luggage with a total of 200 passengers per train.
The mayor boarded one of the APM electric trains Tuesday.
"Its very space age-y in here," Garcetti said. "When I saw the outside, it looked like not just the normal trams you see in other cities, it kind of takes designs in a city that cherishes designs to the next level."
The trains with speeds topping out at nearly 50 mph will be available at each station every two minutes during peak hours with a total of 10 minutes travel time end to end.
In total, there will be 44 cars.
"These 44 cars that we will have will be 100% electric, 95% recyclable and will generate power every time they brake to a stop," Garcetti said.
The trains will be free to ride and will operate 24 hours a day. Officials expect up to 38 million people to ride the trams per year.
