Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) officials announced that 5 teams submitted Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) for delivering an Automated People Mover (APM), the first – and a complex and challenging element of the proposed Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) which would create a world-class transportation system for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  Estimated at $5.5 billion, LAMP would be one of the largest construction programs in Los Angeles City history.

LAWA issued the Request for Qualifications for the APM project on June 9, 2016, and the deadline for response was August 11.  LAMP would finally give passengers choices that provide a first-class, swift, convenient, and reliable way to access LAX.  

The proposed program includes five major program elements; the Automated People Mover that would connect 3 on-airport stations to Metro Rail and transit services – providing a seamless connection to public transportation, as well as to new a consolidated Rent-A-Car center, and 2 Intermodal Transportation Facilities (ITFs) for additional parking, meeter-greeter activities, and roadway improvements. The proposed program is currently undergoing environmental and public review.

The SOQ response is a positive reflection on LAWA’s Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM) approach for the APM.  Used successfully by public agencies throughout the nation and internationally to build critical infrastructure projects, the DBFOM method enables shared risks and rewards, and can help ensure project completion dates.

“The DBFOM approach emphasizes working with the private sector to drive innovation and quality.  It’s reflective of a 21st century solution that is value based and will create an exceptional guest experience and cement LAX’s competitiveness in the global aviation marketplace,” said LAWA Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint.

LAWA will now begin reviewing the SOQ responses to determine which teams qualify to advance to the Request For Proposal (RFP) process.  For more information about the proposed LAX Landside Access Modernization Program, visit connectinglax and its Facebook page.

Here're the five teams in contention, with selected members, are:

- Gateway Connectors: Kiewit Infrastructure with Skanska USA, Meridiam; design by Mott MacDonald and Gannett Fleming

- LA ConnextPartners: Ferrovial Agroman, Bechtel, Cintra, John Laing and Bombardier; design by Bechtel

- LAX Connecting Alliance: OHL USA, Acciona Infraestructuras and Charles Pankow Builders; design by Arup

- LINXS, led by Fluor Enterprises with Balfour Beatty, Flatiron West, Hochtief, ACS and Dragados USA; design by HDR Engineering and HNTB Corporation

- PWA, led by Walsh Construction, Aecom, URS, Granite Construction; design by Aecom and TEC Management Consultants.

A complete list with their subcontractors can be seen here.

LAX is the seventh busiest airport in the world and third in the United States.  LAX served more than 74.9 million passengers in 2015.  LAX offers 742 daily nonstop flights to 101 cities in the U.S. and 1,273 weekly nonstop flights to 76 cities in 41 countries on 64 commercial air carriers.  LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.1 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion.  LAX handled 655,564 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2015.

An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,610 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion.  This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues.  The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

Top image courtesy of Connecting LAX

> via Connecting LAX