LAWA.org | LAXisHappening.com PAGE 1
LAX Capital Improvements
Program e-Newsletter
Summer 2014
In This Issue:
• Adding Additional TSA Screening Stations in Tom Bradley International Terminal
• Discovering What’s Below the Concrete on LAX’s Second Level Roadway
• Terminal 1 Gets High-Tech
• Exciting Plans for the New Midfield Satellite Concourse
• Plus… LAX is Happening in Action
More Lanes Make for Fewer Lines at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal
Standing in long lines waiting to
clear security before embarking on
a flight is often the most stressful
part of one’s journey. While airports
themselves cannot curb the
necessity for strict security
measures, we can try to alleviate
wait times by adding more
Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) screening
lanes. And that’s exactly what LAX
is doing in Tom Bradley
International Terminal (TBIT) as part
of the LAX is Happening
modernization effort.
This May, LAX opened a temporary
Security Screening Checkpoint
(SSCP) that replaces the previous
Southside SSCP to serve as an interim TSA screening location before the final SSCP, which will be located
on the upper level of the terminal’s ticketing area, partially opens in October.
The newly-opened temporary checkpoint area -- featuring construction barricade walls clad with the airports
new Capital Improvement branding -- features eight screening lanes, two more than the previous Southside
SSCP’s total of six. The terminal’s Northside screening area remains open with six lanes as well.
“Passenger comfort is a priority at LAX,” Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Deputy Executive Director of
Airports Development Roger Johnson said. “Increasing the number of screening lanes available to the
public in the terminal’s temporary screening areas wasn’t mandatory, but it serves as just another
opportunity to showcase that we care about every passenger’s comfort.”
The entrance to the Tom Bradley International Terminal’s temporary Security
Screening Location opened to the public on May 27, providing additional
screening lanes to the public.
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These screening areas will be replaced with a new centralized TSA screening area located on the upper
level of the terminal’s ticketing lobby.
The new centralized SSCP will boast a total of 20 TSA Screening Lanes, almost double the pre-renovated
terminal’s 12-lane total. TBIT’s centralized SSCP will partially open in October and the fully renovated 20-
lane TSA SSCP will open in 2015.
Radar Used to Peer Beneath the Surface at LAX
You’ve seen the technology used to find bodies on TV shows like
“CSI,” and to locate buried treasure on the History Channel, now LAX
is peering beneath the surface using Ground Penetrating Radar
(GPR).
As part of the Curbside Appeal Project – an effort to unify the exterior
appearance of LAX’s Central Terminal Area (CTA) through the
installation of energy-efficient LED light poles and a color-changing
light band spanning the length of the second level roadway –
contractors are utilizing GPR technology to pinpoint the location of
metal rebar encased within the second level roadway bridge’s
concrete before drilling in to the structure.
Workers, hoisted underneath the roadway bridge on lifts, are using
GPR equipment to send radar signals into the concrete structure
seeking any denser steel material within a six-inch depth. The
location of those materials is then marked on the under-side of the
roadway to alert construction personnel not to drill there, as doing so
might strike the metal material and compromise the integrity of the
bridge structure.
Construction plans for structures like roadways often show indicative
placement of steel rebar and other materials -- not final placement --
making the radar exploration necessary before anchoring the massive
steel structures that hold the project’s light poles and light band to the
roadway itself.
But radar technology isn’t the only modern approach being used on
this massive project. Crews are also using Light Detection and
Ranging (LIDAR) to map the location of the rebar for future project purposes. LIDAR is like a laser tape
measure that can identify the markings dictating the placement of the metal within the roadway bridge and
return a measurement to the user for accurate placement on drawings or renderings.
“This is the first time we’ve used LIDAR to map structural rebar in a project like this,” LAWA Airports
Development Group Construction Manager Otto Randolph said. “We’re breaking new ground with this
project. No pun intended.”
Workers use Ground Penet
rating Radar
Equipment to locate steel embedded in
the concrete bridge structure of LAX’s
second level roadway.
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The GPR and LIDR work is being conducted using sub-contractor, Safe2Core, a San Jose-based
GPR/Concrete Scanning company. The mapping and radar work are being conducted using a 10-person
crew, with one supervisor and one safety officer, on a $130,000 budget. The work began May 27 and will
complete June 12. The second level roadway project is managed by Myers-Banicki, a Joint Venture, and is
scheduled for completion in early 2016.
Terminal 1’s High Tech Renovation
Technological
progress has
provided efficient
means to ease some
of the stress
associated with air
travel.
LAX recognizes this
and is taking great
pains to renovate our
aging terminals in
effort to improve the
airport experience
for our passengers.
The nearly 30-year-
old Terminal 1 is a
prime example of
this effort. Here,
Southwest Airlines is
preparing a major
renovation to
improve the interior,
outdoor aircraft
parking ramp area,
functionality, and traffic flow, effectively bringing the terminal into the 21
st
Century.
Terminal 1 was built in the early 1980s, a time when the industry and public functioned much differently.
Today, the use of technology has proliferated and impacts all aspects of modern life, so we recognize the
need to upgrade to accommodate these advances. The Terminal 1 modernization program, which officially
kicks off in August, will update and expand the information technology backbone throughout the space in
order to support the ever growing need to share data by airlines and passengers alike.
Similarly, post-9/11 security screening protocols have placed unforeseen demands on the terminal and the
modernization effort addresses this need by constructing a new 12-lane security screening checkpoint and
fully automated checked baggage inspection system. Current building systems are nearing the end of their
useful life and the renovation will replace them with more efficient, modern and environmentally-friendly
equipment.
A conceptual rendering of Terminal 1’s post-security screening recompose area depicts the
use of natural light and modern finishes, both of which will be a highlight of the terminal
modernization effort.
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Technology’s reach has also changed the ticketing lobby experience. Terminal 1 will reflect this aspect of
modern day travel by including new innovative features associated with the check-in process, as well as a
more open, spacious lobby. New technology includes kiosks equipped to allow passengers to check-in,
print their boarding pass and drop checked baggage with an agent. Plenty of self-check-in kiosks will also
be available for passengers who are not checking bags.
Once past the security screening check point, passengers will experience a modernized concourse that
includes redesigned boarding gate waiting areas with more seating, larger restrooms and an updated mix of
concession offerings. Collaboration is on-going between Southwest and Westfield to seamlessly integrate
seating areas and concessions, while keeping in mind LAX’s priority of “putting LA back into LAX” by
bringing local dining and retail options into the space.
Two full service restaurants are planned along with a variety of quick service restaurants, and grab & go
food offerings. New retail stores, news and gift shops will also be built. Concessions are planned for the
arrivals level near the new and improved baggage claim to serve the needs of arriving passengers and
greeters.
New gate systems are also being incorporated into the space. Those include an improved aircraft parking
ramp that can accommodate 13 Boeing 737 aircraft, new passenger boarding bridges and equipment,
pavement replacement, a modernized hydrant fueling system, as well as electric vehicle chargers to support
an all-electric ground service equipment program.
But the improvements aren’t all technological. The terminal’s renovation will also address a condition that
impacts the experience of all LAX users: traffic congestion at the intersection of World Way and Sky Way.
By reorganizing the interior uses of the building and shifting the skycap, ticket lobby and main entrances to
the west end of the terminal, additional roadway distance is created for merging traffic to maneuver to the
curb after the intersection. This reorganization also creates additional curb length to accommodate curbside
passenger drop-off and pick-up and takes pressure off the intersection and eases congestion.
“The Terminal 1 Modernization Program will be a major overhaul of this aging space, meaning passengers
should expect some impacts,” LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey said. “To mitigate those
impacts, LAWA is working closely with Southwest Airlines to conduct most of the work during off-peak
hours. Passengers will notice construction barriers and may hear some work-related noise. We ask that
travelers pardon our dust during the renovation process.”
Construction on the $509 million project is expected to complete in 2018. Once ground has been broken, be
sure to track the construction’s progress at LAXisHappening.com.
Midfield Satellite Concourse Planned at LAX
With all of the improvements to LAX’s existing infrastructure, it’s time to take a look at a new building
project, the Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC).
The MSC will be a new multi-level concourse terminal designed to be consistent with the campus-wide
architectural vision for LAX and compliment the iconic new Tom Bradley International Terminal. Located on
the airfield west of TBIT, the facility would be designed to serve both domestic and international flights, and
reduce reliance on the West Remote gates.
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“The Midfield Satellite Concourse will really help improve the passenger experience as we move forward
with our airport modernization efforts,” LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey said. “By providing
additional gates in a functional, state-of-the-art facility we can alleviate some of the congestion and
frustration in other parts of the airport.”
Like all construction efforts at LAX, the 11-gate MSC project will be conducted in phases minimizing
disruption to ongoing operations. Phase I calls for LAWA to construct the north half of the facility, with the
south portion set to begin construction following the north side’s completion.
Constructing the MSC’s north gates will permit greater flexibility in scheduling and ensure a high level of
service for LAX passengers. The new terminal will not increase travelers or aircraft at LAX, but will improve
the terminal operations, concessions facilities, and overall passenger experience at the airport.
No contracts for construction have been awarded at this time, however a Request For Proposals (RFP) is
out for enabling work related to the project. A Design-Build RFP is expected before the Board of Airport
Commissioners in July. No construction, including the enabling work, can begin until the Board approves
the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Given these factors, construction is estimated to begin in the
latter half of 2014 and is anticipated to take approximately 60 months.
You can follow the progress of the MSC on the project website, email LAWA staff at
, or call (800) 919-3766.
A rendering depicts
the location of the
future Midfield
Satellite Concourse
(MSC). The MSC will
be constructed in
phases with the north
side opening first. The
MSC North will
consist of an 11-gate
concourse, aircraft
parking aprons,
taxiways/lanes,
utilities and provision
for conveyance
systems. The project
will increase flexibility
in scheduling terminal
improvements
throughout LAX
without disrupting
daily operations.
LAWA.org | LAXisHappening.com PAGE 6
LAX is Happening in Action
LAWA officially launched the LAX is Happening capital
improvements program campaign and the efforts have
resulted in a lot of positive buzz.
Take a look at what people are saying about all the great
things happening at LAX:
Santa Monica Daily Press: http://smdp.com/disruptions-expected-at-lax-during-construction/134946
Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-lax-construction-20140529-story.html
Aviation News: http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=231880
Conde Nast Traveler: http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2014/05/lax-new-construction
Take part in the action! Track the progress of LAX construction and view real time traffic updates at
LAXisHappening.com.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the United States. LAX offers 692 daily nonstop
flights to 85 cities in the U.S. and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on 64 commercial
air carriers. LAX ranks 14
th
in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with over 1.9
million tons of air cargo valued at over $91.6 billion. An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at
LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output
of more than $39.7 billion. This activity added $2.5 billion to local and state revenues. LAX is part of a
system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general
aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City
of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
For more information about LAX, please visit www.lawa.aero/lax
or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport, and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1.
Please send newsletter comments, inquiries and suggestions to:
LAX Public Relations Division
Attn: Amanda Parsons, Editor
One World Way, 10
th
Floor
Los Angeles CA 90045
Phone: (424) 646-6842
Email: aparsons@lawa.org
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