LAX Traffic Upgrade Scores $289M Grant

The Federal Aviation Administration said on August 4 that Los Angeles International Airport will receive $289 million for a new terminal access road, the largest single award in an $870 million round of airport infrastructure grants. The money is part of 339 grants going to airports in 44 states and two territories through the Airport Infrastructure Grants program, according to the FAA. Federal officials said the Los Angeles award will fund a road project aimed at improving access to the airport’s Central Terminal Area. Los Angeles World Airports, which operates LAX, has been advancing a broader roadway overhaul as part of its long-running airport modernization program. ### Where does the $289 million fit in the federal program? The FAA said the August 4 funding round totals $870 million and is being distributed through the Airport Infrastructure Grants program created under the 2021 infrastructure law. The agency said the grants will support airport planning, terminal work, baggage upgrades, runway and taxiway rehabilitation, and roadway access improvements. Sean P. Duffy, the U.S. transportation secretary, said in the FAA announcement that the department was investing in infrastructure intended to provide “a more seamless, efficient travel experience” for travelers. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency was “releasing grants at record speed” as travel demand grows. (faa.gov) ### What exactly is LAX building with the money? Los Angeles World Airports says the airport is constructing 4.4 miles of replaced and reconfigured roadways under its Airfield and Terminal Modernization Project roadway program. The agency says the work is designed to reduce congestion on Sepulveda Boulevard and create dedicated airport roadways for vehicles queuing into the Central Terminal Area. (faa.gov) The ATMP roadway project is intended to separate airport traffic from local traffic flows and improve wayfinding, according to LAWA. Agency materials say the work is meant to reduce airport-related backups on surrounding public streets and remove more than 500 cars from Sepulveda Boulevard at any given time by shifting queues onto dedicated airport roadways. (lawa.org) ### Why is this project tied so closely to terminal traffic? LAX’s modernization plan links the roadway work directly to access into and out of the Central Terminal Area. LAWA says the landside improvements include new Central Terminal Area access points from Sepulveda Boulevard, pedestrian bridges, and new access to the Ground Transportation Center and Economy Parking structure. (lawa.org) Project documents published by LAWA also describe dedicated roadway access to the Central Terminal Area, including the future Terminal 9 area, with new elevated roadways and a pedestrian corridor over Sepulveda Boulevard. The airport says those changes are part of a broader Airfield and Terminal Modernization Project that stays within LAX’s existing footprint while addressing roadway backups on public streets. (lawa.org) ### How big is the wider LAX overhaul? Los Angeles World Airports says LAX is in the middle of a $30 billion capital improvement program that includes terminal, transit and roadway projects. On its TransformingLAX site, the airport describes the ATMP roadway work as one of about 30 active projects in a broader pipeline of approved and completed work. LAWA said in a 2025 release that its board approved about $1 billion for the roadway modernization effort, which it described as the most comprehensive roadway construction at LAX in nearly four decades. (lawa.org) The airport said at the time that the project was designed to separate airport-related traffic from local roads and improve access alongside other ongoing improvements. (lawa.org) ### When will travelers see the next milestone? LAWA’s current project materials say pre-construction is already underway on the ATMP roadway improvements. The agency says ingress roadways are expected to be completed in May 2028, while full project completion is anticipated in mid-2030. A July 2026 public update from LAWA lays out a phased schedule around the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with substantial completion for Phase A pre-Olympics work in May 2028 and Phase B post-Olympics work in May 2030. (lawa.org) The next public details are posted through LAWA’s ATMP roadway project pages and construction-impact notices. (lawa.org) (lawa.org)