Counterweights were removed from the Green Line last weekend, allowing construction to go forward of the bridge that will bring the Crenshaw/LAX Line tracks to the Green Line.
When completed, the southern end of the Crenshaw/LAX Line will connect with the Green Line. The plan at this time is to run trains between the new Crenshaw/Expo Station and Redondo Beach and Green Line trains between Norwalk and Redondo Beach and Norwalk and the eventual Airport Metro Connector Station.
The Airport Metro Connector Station — near Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street — is where passengers will be able to transfer to/from the people mover that will serve the LAX terminals. Los Angeles World Airports is building the people mover.
During the original construction of the Green Line in the early 1990s, Metro anticipated there would eventually be a light rail line added to the north to the airport. The counterweights were added at that time to make the Green Line structure safer.
Categories: Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project
The current configuration of the APM is a terrible plan. There are 3 stations to serve 9 terminals. It needs to be a wrap around like at Chicago O’hare. And on a similar note, LAX itself has a horrible layout to begin with. Most terminals are separated and unconnected from one another. I bring up O’hare again because its 3 main terminals are all connected to each other with, and also has an APM station to serve each. LAX, like the rest of L.A., is unconnected and spread out. LAWA needs to rethink their plan and build the APM in a way that connects every terminal so to get the most out of it. I’m sure then that the most people possible will then utilize the APM to get to Metro, CONRAC or to be picked by family, friends, taxi, ride share, or bus outside of the airport. Then, we can truly have a world class airport.
Hi Alex;
One thing worth mentioning is that LAWA has said they plan to install a network of moving sidewalks to help with the long walks to the people mover stations to/from the various terminals. I believe this was discussed in the LAWA presentation at the LAWA Board meeting in December — links to video of that meeting and other info are here: http://thesource.metro.net/2015/11/23/how-we-roll-nov-23/.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
With the transfer station at 96th, why build another station at Century?
Meanwhile, Denver Co. builds an entire new light rail line from downtown to DIA over 30 miles away in about 5 years, Less than 2 miles of a people mover takes over 8 years by the bloated agency of LAWA and somehow we are supposed to be content with that…
The ballot measure that helped spur the airport line in Denver passed in 2004 and the line is opening in April (although as a public-private partnership, a very interesting arrangement). The issue with all these projects is that several years are spent in the planning and environmental clearance stages — true in Denver, true here.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
We shouldn’t even be content with the people mover design itself. It’s not a good design and doesn’t adequately move people around the airport. Should be called the anti-people mover…
LAWA does not seem to consider access to the airport to be a priority. That’s your problem right there. The people mover design is *terrible* and should be scrapped and replaced with a competent design. But to do that, management at LAWA needs to change.
If you have the (mis)fortune of having to live in Denver like me, you’ll understand why it seems like such little effort to build things here. Hint: no earthquakes.
Related question: what is the planned platform configuration for the Imperial/Aviation station? If indeed the plan is to run trains in all six directions then ideally there should be three separate platforms, so for example all Norwalk-bound trains would stop at the same place regardless of whether they come from Redondo or LAX, and likewise for Redondo-bound and Crenshaw-bound trains. But that would require a lot of construction, and would also mean no cross-platform transfers. Alternatively, Crenshaw-Redondo trains could use the current platform by changing direction (an uncommon move, but done for example by Brussels Metro line 1A between 1982 and 2009). Yet another option is for Crenshaw-Redondo trains to simply skip Imperial/Aviation. So, what’s the plan?
Hi Ron;
I don’t believe there are any changes planned at this time for the Green Line platforms.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
The LAX connector and transfer station won’t be ready until 2023 at the earliest, while the Crenshaw/LAX line is expected to open in 2019. How will people transfer to LAX in the interim? Will there be bus transfers on Century, or will we still have to use the bus terminal at Imperial/Aviation?
Hi Ron;
Good question and I’m not sure yet, as the Aviation/Century Station will be completed as part of this project. I’m guessing there will be bus shuttles either from that new station, the existing Green Line Aviation Station or both. I’ll ask around and see what I find out.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source