Originally Posted by writerguyfl

I get that LAWA had massive obstacles to overcome. But, it seems like their solution only really benefits people coming south on the 405. (And, eventually, for the few that arrive via Metro.)

And even that solution isn't great unless you're flying out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. That terminal is the only ones where the stations are right at the terminal. If this image from the LAWA website accurate, Terminal 1 won't even have direct access to a station. Nor will Terminals 0 and 9 once they get built.

[picture deleted]

Full image (which includes the entire system and road updates): https://www.lawa.org/-/media/lawa-web/connecting-lax/lamp_roadwaymap.ashx

Again, I totally get the obstacles and maybe all of their planners are smarter than I am. But all of these new facilities (including the CTA stations) all seem to be in the wrong places unless you're arriving south on the 405 to pick up/drop off passengers.

Anyway, thank you to those who provided the information and opinions.

Originally Posted by bocastephen

LAWA is, unfortunately, the epitome of incompetence and poor planning. They had the opportunity to move LAX into the 21st century by utilizing the people mover concept, basically stolen directly from MIA, to open up terminal access and alleviate some of the crowding and gate issues at the airport by essentially creating one consistent, congruent terminal complex, linked by the people mover.

The correct vision was to overlay a people mover and high speed moving walkway system on top of the existing terminals, from 1 through 8, and divide the stations to stop at T3, Bradley, T6 and T8 with high speed moving walkways in between. The stations themselves would be divided into two sides, one airside, and one outside security with the trains divided in half so you could check in at the intermodel/rental car complex, clear security there, and take a train directly airside at your terminal, while those with checked bags or other special handling needs would take the outside train option and check-in at the terminal.

The result would be a substantial decrease in inter-terminal traffic, and the ability of the airport to spread airlines among a wider group of terminal gates to eliminate situations where one terminal is short on gates vs an adjacent or nearby terminal with empty gates, where passengers can go one level up to quickly transfer to another part of the airport in minutes.

The project, as designed today, does very little to extend the airport's viable expansion options much beyond where they are today.