[faithhopecharity]

probably a good idea but
$5.5 BILLION!????????????

its Screw the Damned Taxpayers Time, again!

[monkeyshine]

This is nutso. LAX is a relatively small airport compared to the major hubs in the USA like ATL, JFK - even MSP is much bigger. The terminal area is in the shape of a U with 8 “gates” plus an international terminal between gates 3 and 4. One thing they really needed to do is run a tram around the secure side of the airport so people could do transfers without having to clear security. But that would be maybe 2 miles of track at most and there is plenty of room to add that on the secure side of the airport.

Sounds like they want a tram to bring people into the airport from the neighboring areas to alleviate the need for cars. There is currently a road that runs right through the center of the U. They do have some parking structures but they could build under or at the ground level. Wouldn’t be too much to run some track that way straight down Century Blvd.

But in a state where it costs $10 billion to NOT run a train from LA to SF, I suppose $5.5 billion for one that runs a few miles in and around the airport is a bargain.

I’m curious to know how much MSP paid to build their tram system.

[sheana]

LAx needs people movers. Bad. But yeah $5.5 billion!?!? Holy h e double hockey sticks!

[simpson96]

A billion here, a billion there. Who’s counting? /sarc

[Rockingham]

The LAX People Mover project is financed by a bond issue, which will be paid for by revenues from LAX operations. Fly into or out of LAX, or rent a car or buy a drink at a lounge or a hot dog at a snack bar there and you will be paying a bit for the project and for general support of LAX. As a general LA taxpayer though, you will not be kicking in.

As a general rule, government enterprise operations like airports and utilities are usually well-run because they are structured to run like businesses and to rely on operating revenues instead of taxes. Run the business badly, or overcharge or mistreat the customers and they complain and go elsewhere.

For major commercial airports like LAX, the airlines act as a brake against folly and mismanagement because the airport relies heavily on revenue from landing fees and fuel charges imposed on airlines. In extreme cases, airlines stop reduce their flights to badly run, overly expensive airports. I am confident that the LAX People Mover project would not have gotten off the ground without the approval and support of the airlines who are most on the hook to pay for it.