LAWA's $9.1 Billion Master Plan Ready for Take-Off

Mask Massman and Intissar Durham of Los Angeles World Airports provide bid details and construction schedules for first three projects.

By Paul Napolitano

The new deputy executive director of project and facilities development for Los Angeles World Airports introduced himself and a $9.1 billion master plan for the authority's four airfields in Southern California to a gathering of the WTS Los Angeles Chapter.

Mark Massman

"It's a stunning array of projects," said Mark T. Massman, who joined LAWA in October after a 26-year career at San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp. One of Massman's biggest aviation projects was a $1.1 billion upgrade to Miami International Airport.

At LAWA, his first priority will be shepherding three major projects in the 10-year expansion plan, one that has had a number of modifications over the years due to a myriad of factors such as the effects of construction and an increase in traffic on residential communities adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport. Approximately 60 million passengers used LAX last year. In addition to LAX and ONT, LAWA operates smaller airports in Van Nuys and Palmdale.

The three largest near-term projects are an in-line baggage screening system at LAX and Ontario International Airports; interior improvements and a new baggage screening system at LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal; and Runway 25L Relocation and Center Taxiway Project at LAX.

Bids on the Runway 25L/Center Taxiway project will be due mid-July with construction actually starting in January, said Intissar Durham, LAWA chief airports engineer, who also spoke at the downtown Los Angeles reception. Bids for the TBIT and in-line projects are tentatively due in the "September/October time frame," with actual construction scheduled to start in January or February.

Construction estimates are $350 million for the in-line projects, $270 million for TBIT, and $250 million for Runway 25L. In addition to the three largest projects, there will be six smaller construction contracts awarded for the near-term phase with a cumulative estimated construction cost of $900 million.

M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates and CH2MHill are the design architects for the LAX and ONT in-line projects, respectively. Leo A Daly is the architect for the TBIT project. HNTB is LAWA's design consultant on the Runway 25L/Center Taxiway project.

Intissar Durham

Intissar said the baggage screening systems and the runway should be completed by May 2008, and the TBIT project by June 2009.

Each of the three major projects has tremendous affects and impacts on airport and airline operations.

"In the case of TBIT, the (500,000-sq.-ft.) project will in essence rebuild the terminal while it continues to be fully operational and open to 9 million annual passengers and 33 airlines," said Durham, adding that TBIT, if it was its own airport, would be the ninth largest airfield in the U.S.

"Phasing the work to minimize the adverse impacts to passengers and airlines is really the most challenging aspect of the (TBIT) project," she added.

"The most challenging aspect of the in-line baggage screening system project is the systems integration component, given the diversity of existing airlines and airport systems and the security systems that are mandated by the TSA."

For the runway and taxiway project, Durham said meeting the aggressive construction and runway closure schedule will be difficult.