While we recognize this project is rolling forward on its own momentum, BaBWP felt it was important to make a public statement about our very mixed feelings about this project. Our take is documented in downloadable files that include source links.
- BaBWP POSITION STATEMENT
- BaBWP BACKGROUND INFO illustrating plan details that shaped our position.
The statement itself:
REGARDING the City of Los Angeles and LAX $1.5B roadway improvements project aiming at “reducing traffic at entrances and exists, and eliminating queuing on public roads.” For details see LAWA’s presentation from 2025-08 here.
OUR POSITION
As long-term neighbors of LAX we…
1. Do not support the City + LAWA management decision to continue to encourage regular passenger vehicle traffic into the main terminal area (known as the terminal internal roadway “horseshoe”).
2. Do not support a $1.5B “more roadway construction” project that is rolling forward based on bureaucratic momentum. It privileges single vehicle access over strategic use of emerging public transit and revised passenger trend data, which is below original projections.
3. Do support delaying the entire project until after the 2028 Olympics. The additional time will allow a more thoughtful assessment of the need for the project and its impacts for both LAX and Westchester. It would also acknowledge the significant shortcoming of having completed only half of the project pre-Olympics, in the midst of accomplishing everything else required to support a successful 2028 LA Olympics.
WHY THIS POSITION
Building a Better Westchester Playa joins with UCLA’s Institute for Transportation Studies, scientists, and concerned local stakeholders in expressing concern about significant negative impacts expected from the current plan for LAX Airfield & Terminal Modernization Program (ATMP) Roadway project.
• Short-term: construction mayhem between now and the LA Olympics in 2028, by which time our City’s “reward” will be only half of the planned roadway changes completed (should current construction timelines hold, which seems unlikely based on previous LAWA improvement projects.)
• Long-term: permanent negative changes to traffic patterns supporting airport operation—within our community and for LAX passengers as a whole.
We see a significant disconnect between operational gains LAX is claiming versus negative general and local impacts from the current plan.
Our community has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve terminal efficiencies by restricting the central terminal “horseshoe” roadway access to only professional livery and commercial shuttle traffic. Instead, the City and LAX have opted once again actively contradicts the commitment to and investment in public transit options to reduce vehicle traffic in the LAX area. Once again, the City opts to privilege passenger vehicle access over the larger common good.
We’re disappointed that our City-as-Customer contract leverage has not been used to force a more innovative win for LAX, Los Angeles-at-large and Westchester, the airport’s host community.
Further, we note that our local political establishment has not stood with community members in calling for reconsideration of this proposed ATMP Roadway plan.
(See this PDF for further background information on the LAX Roadway Project.)
