Earlier this week, a reader kindly reminded me that you're overdue for a construction update, so here we go! The opening shot was taken this morning, looking west from the tower. There's a lot going on, so here are some close-ups:
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| The southern end of the MSC is getting closer to completion on the exterior |
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| The ramps connecting the parking garages for Terminals 3 & 4 have been completely removed |
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| Progress is being made at the north end of the MSC, as well as at the bottom of the D-10 alley, between Terminal 3 and the TBIT. We have hope that the section of Taxiway D that runs along the north end of the MSC may reopen later this month. |
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| I don't think I've mentioned the D-9 alley, between Terminals 2 & 3, but you can see there is work going on at the southern end of this alley as well. |
Some of the most visible progress has been on the Terminal 1.5 project:
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| June 5 |
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| June 14 |
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| July 12 |
Meanwhile, in an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the terminal area, the former parking lot just east of Terminal 1, which I previously told you was going to become the site of Concourse 0, is apparently going to be a new rideshare pick-up area. I believe this is intended to be temporary while the people mover is under construction.
Speaking of the people mover project, another ramp connecting the parking garages between Terminals 2 & 6 was removed a week or two ago:
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| I had to go back a year to find a shot that happened to include the ramp that's missing in the previous shot |
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| Another recent demolition was the pedestrian bridge that ran between the Terminal 5 parking garage and the terminal. You can visualize where it was by connecting that empty square frame in the middle of the shot with the pieces of plywood atop the parking garage at the bottom of the shot. |
No construction here, just a view of the heavy vehicle traffic coming into the airport on the night of July 3. Every road into the airport was jammed for two or three hours. While I took this shot on the eve of the Independence Day holiday, this is a nightly occurrence. The controllers who come in to work the mid shift are often unable to get to work on time because they have to fight their way through this just to get to the tower:
And now, lest you forget that this is really an airport, some gratuitous airplane shots:
Finally, we bid good-bye to TT, who retired at the end of May; and give congratulations to EL and TM, who recently got signed off on ground control.
Thank you, Captainvector, for the construction updates, easily the highlight of your blog.
ReplyDeletePicture CV1490754.JPG and CV1490755.JPG: I still think it's strange that the MSC was not built over the full width between the two runway complexes. Didn't the airport have enough money to secure the site, or did American Airlines claim they were emotionally attached to that hangar or something?
I don't recall any updates on the West Aircraft Maintenance Area. Is the Delta hangar ready yet? I also read something about a new facility for United.
Picture CV1490756.JPG: I remain sceptical whether that railroad thingie will really be able to prise Angelenos out of their car. Imagine if the attachment of Southern Californians to their car is so strong, they point them towards BUR or ONT rather than having to ditch it a mile or two away from LAX. Has the entire Manchester Square site now been secured?
CV1490741-001.JPG: thank you for this great shot. That greenish color of light is really strange. I know the orange/yellow lights on the other parking structure are neon lights, and the whitish lights on the roadways represent the investment of Los Angeles in newfangled LED lights, but I honestly don't know what those green things are. They look poisonous.
Picture CV1490752.JPG: did you get to work AirCal when they were still around?
Last picture SA1490605-001.JPG: my aircraft spotting skills are as good as obsolete. I don't even know what version of Gulfstream that is!
Thank you again, Captainvector, for this great update.
--Filip
I can't address all of your points right now, but I'll take the last few:
DeleteThe lighting on the roof of the parking garage isn't really as green as that; I suppose it's some sort of glitch with the wavelength of the lights, combined with the glass of the tower windows and the sensor in the camera. It is an interesting effect though.
AirCal was long-gone by the time I got to LAX, although I did get to work some of their former aircraft, as all of the AirCal B737-300s ended up at Southwest.
That Gulfstream is a G-550, which is a relabeling of the G-5 SP.
CV
Captain Vector, I have read your blog for several years and I'm not sure I have thanked you before now. I apologize for my rudeness. I know you created this blog for your friends, however, I enjoy what you post. Thank you so much for your time and efforts. I'll be flying out of LAX on September 1 to head home after the Cure concert the night before at the Rose Bowl.
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Michael
Lubbock, TX
I wanted to go to that show, but I'll be working. Now rerouting the Lubbock flight to . . .
Delete
ReplyDeleteI flew out of T7 on 27 June and was amazed at the traffic clusterf. Came home on the 1st of July and it was a bit better. Kid flew out on the 4th and was at T4 when the earthquake hit. Were you there on the 5th for the 7.1? I had to drive by myself from the Lakefront in Chicago to the Consolidated Car Return at ORD. NO TRAFFIC! It took me longer to wait in the line for Starbucks than it did to clear security. Amazing. Thanks for sharing!!!!