Mayor Eric Garcetti broke ground on the Airport Metro Connector project, an $898.6-million project that will connect the Los Angeles International Airport to the local metro system, on Monday morning. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.
“Everyone traveling to or from LAX should have access to modern, reliable public transportation that gets them to their destination on time,” said Garcetti.
Garcetti hopes the traffic congestion around LAX will decrease as more people can access the airport using public transportation.
The transportation hub will connect LAX's people mover to the Crenshaw/LAX line, which is currently under construction, and major bus lines.
The new connector station, located at Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street, will have a bike hub, a drop-off zone and direct access to LAX.
“This is an exciting project that will serve as the gateway to LAX for future generations — just as LAX has long served as the gateway to Southern California for so many millions of people,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins.
Metro is currently expanding its rail transit system with 15 new and expanded lines and fixing streets and freeways.
In May, major construction officially began on the third and final leg of the Metro Purple Line extension.
Later this month, Metro will start to restore pandemic-caused service cuts and hopes to reach “pre-pandemic service levels” by September, LA Metro spokesperson Brian Haas told LAist.
Before the pandemic, Metro was attempting to increase a ridership that had been declining for years.
"We have to convince people that the system works and that these connections right here actually work,” said former Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington at the Purple Line's groundbreaking ceremony, as reported by the LA Times.