LOS ANGELES — The board overseeing Los Angeles International Airport has approved an additional $200 million in funding for the airport people mover under construction, addressing disputes with the builder that have slowed the project.
The news site LAist reports the money approved by the board of airport commissioners pushes the overall budget for the 2.25-mile automated, elevated system to $2.9 billion. The money is expected to go toward settling claims from contractor LAX Integrated Express Solutions, or LINXS, regarding the project timeline, compensation, and other issues. A “strained” relationship between the airport and contract has contributed to delays in the system’s opening [see “Completion of LA airport people mover delayed …,” Trains News Wire, March 29, 2024]. A report to the board said the two sides are “negotiating a potential global settlement for all outstanding relief event claims and an appropriate extension of time to complete the project.”
The people mover, originally slated to be finished in 2023, then projected to be done this year, is now not expected to be done until sometime in 2025. An April LINXS report projected passenger service in December 2025, LAist reports; the contractor deferred questions about an opening to LA World Airports; that agency’s statement said the outcome of discussions “will be provided as they become available.”
The most ridiculous airport train in the universe is found in ONE of the two CONCOURSES of ONE TERMINAL at DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Three stops in one concourse of the McNamara Terminal. The train can’t be extended because it’s at McNamara’s second level. McNamara is surrounded on all four sides by aircraft taxiways.
Then again we know where the CEO of Northwest Airlines ended up. Starts with the letter “A” and ends with the letter “K” and is based in Washington and Wilmington. Any guesses?
To get anywhere, the train is useless. You need to take a bus to DTW’s other terminal, or to the rental car depots. You even need to walk to McNamara’s “B” concourse.
More than1 billion per mile. Absolutely ridiculous.
$2.9 billion. Let’s state that again: $2.9 billion.
SEPTA’s Airport Line goes right to the airport. You have a choice of four stations at the airport for the individual terminals and you walk in from the train.
It didn’t cost $2.9 billion.
https://schedules.septa.org/current/AIR.pdf