A six-year, $463-million program concluded in April 2024 aimed at modernizing terminals and improving connections to regional transit at LAX.

The terminal cores serve as one of the primary entrances to LAX terminals, providing easy access to the site's levels via elevators and escalators, as well as a direct connection to the future automated people mover (APM) train system. Scope included construction of three such cores: at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), Terminal 6 (T5.5) and Terminal 7 (T7).

Meeting challenges on this project, especially in the middle of the pandemic, required prioritizing communication. Logistics proved to be one of the first tests on the terminal cores. The T5.5 core was accessible, with space on the tarmac for vehicles entering onto the airfield's secure area, but Terminal 7 and TBIT were accessible only from the central terminal area. To work around this, all personnel, equipment and materials were delivered at the same curb as passengers.

Project leadership adjusted staffing to respond to project needs, leveraging technology whenever possible. At the beginning of the project, tablets were issued to all operations staff as well as the LAWA Construction Inspection Division staff to facilitate access to documents and online quality, safety and document management platforms.

Where feasible, the team also experimented with new technology that didn’t exist when work began. For example, a SiteAware AI-driven digital verification system was deployed on the final phase 2 concrete pours, eliminating rework that had been necessary on phase 1. Continuous improvement was a hallmark of the design-build team’s approach.