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 Officials will break ground today on the expansion of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX -- one of the largest public works projects in the history of Los Angeles.
Dubbed the Bradley West Project, this component of the LAX Master Plan is expected to cost $1.2 billion and create 4,000 construction-related jobs. It would include the construction of nine new boarding gates on the Bradley Terminal's west side to supplement existing gates on the east side. Each gate will be capable of handling passengers arriving and departing on giant new airliners, such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The plan also calls for demolishing the Bradley Terminal's old concourse area and building a pair of new concourses with larger passenger lounges. About 1.25 million square feet will be added for shops, restaurants, ticketing desks, security screening and baggage claim. Additionally, the federal customs inspection area will be expanded, and a pair of corridors will be built to link Terminals 3, 4, and the Bradley terminal so passengers with connecting flights do not have to exit the terminals and go through security screening again. The new boarding gates are slated for completion by 2012, but the rest of the upgrades are not expected to be finished until spring 2013. Of the 4,000 construction-related jobs that will be created, nearly 40 percent will go to residents of the city of Los Angeles and areas surrounding LAX, according to an advisory from the LAX Public Relations Division. The project will be funded with LAX operating revenues, capital improvement program funds, fees from airlines, passenger facilities charges and airport revenue bond proceeds. The city's general fund will not be used. When the Airport Commission in October approved the contract with Walsh Austin Joint Venture, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that "by modernizing the Bradley Terminal at LAX, we will provide better services for passengers from around the world." He added: "Tourism generates jobs, and improving the experience for travelers at LAX will put people to work now and for years to come." Built in 1984, the Bradley Terminal is LAX's primary facility serving international travelers. Last year, more than 30 airlines at the Bradley Terminal served more than 8.6 million passengers -- nearly 60 percent of LAX's overall 15.1 million international international volume. LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world, with more than 565 daily flights to 81 destinations in the United States and more than 1,000 weekly nonstop flights to 65 international destinations. It served a total of 56.5 million passengers in 2009.
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