A consortium that includes UK contractor Balfour Beatty, American engineer Fluor, Germany’s Hochtief, Spain’s ACS and France’s Bombardier Transportation has begun work on Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) Automated People Mover (APM) project.
LINXS Constructors’ 3.6km line will connect LAX’s Terminal 4 to the West Central Terminal’s automated station, light rail stations, offsite parking and car rental facilities.
Partially prefabricated steel trusses ranging in weight from 27 tonnes to 45 tonnes were transported to the area, assembled and lifted into the pedestrian bridge with a 350-tonne crane.
The segments were welded together while supported over the roadway by a shoring tower.
The installation of floor and roof beams will complete the erection of structural steel for the pedestrian walkway. In total, six bridges will be installed.
Bernardo Gogna, Los Angeles World Airports’ chief development officer, said: "As we advance our modernisation projects and take our place as a world-class airport, it is also important to honour LAX’s rich architectural history through our design and construction, and our new bridges will do just that.
"The successful placement of the bridge structure was due to a highly-coordinated effort, and I share my thanks with our development and operations teams, airline stakeholders, LINXS Constructors, and Airport Police Division, including the Traffic and Security Officers, for ensuring a safe and efficient completion of this first of several bridge installations."
Sharon Gookin, LINXS Constructors’ project director, said: "The start of construction of this pedestrian walkway follows a tremendous amount of enabling work, planning and coordination.
"Having these steel trusses in place serves as a meaningful milestone for the APM project and a testament to the continued efforts of the APM team to bring the vision of a transformed LAX to fruition."
The APM is due to be completed before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games.
Images courtesy of the LINXS Consortium
