The notorious horseshoe loop at Los Angeles International Airport has been crushing the souls of drivers for decades. But the era of bumper-to-bumper airport gridlock might finally be coming to an end. LAX is nearing the finish line on a massive infrastructure upgrade that promises to completely revolutionize how you catch a flight in Southern California.
A $30 Billion Fix for Airport Gridlock
The airport is currently putting the final touches on its highly anticipated Automated People Mover (APM). This ambitious driverless transit system is the crown jewel of LAX’s sweeping $30 billion modernization plan aimed at overhauling experience of the airport and removing the notorious traffic jams outside the departure terminals.
Instead of battling crazy drivers and frantic families in the drop-off lanes, passengers will soon be able to bypass the chaos by travelling right over the top. The APM will run on a 2.25-mile elevated guideway to seamlessly connect six different stations, linking the main terminals directly to massive parking facilities and the broader Los Angeles Metro rail network.
Read More from MotorBiscuit:
- Car Thieves Are Stealing Vehicles From Busy Airports at an Alarming Rate
- Why Driving Your Own Car Might Actually Be Safer Than Flying
How the Driverless Train Works
This isn’t your average slow-moving airport shuttle. The electric system will operate a fleet of 44 individual cars, linked together to form nine four-car trains. During peak travel hours, each train will have the capacity to haul 200 passengers, and their heavy luggage, at a time.
Speed and convenience are the name of the game here. LAX promises that during those busy periods, a fresh train will arrive at the platform every two minutes, and it will only take 10 minutes to complete a full circuit of the entire track. And the best is that the APM will be completely free to ride for all LAX employees, ticketed travelers, and anyone heading in for a quick pick-up or drop-off.
When Can You Ride It?
Locals have already caught a glimpse of this much-awaited future. Recent aerial footage from NewsChopper4 showed the driverless trains actively making test runs along the elevated concrete track,…