LOS ANGELES -- For more than a decade, the Los Angeles International Airport has been the subject of renovation planning, security issues and, increasingly, complaints and lawsuits from surrounding neighborhoods. But the Los Angeles Times reported Dec. 2 that city and airport officials agreed to rework a modernization proposal, eliminating, for now, some of the previous plan’s more controversial items.
The 11-year-old discussion - with plans presented by former mayors Richard Riordan and James Hahn – had drawn criticism from recently elected Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, security experts and nearby residents.
Construction is still slated for early next year for the $300 million restoration of the southern runway complex, but other items have been scrapped for now and are under review, including the proposed $476 million consolidated car rental facility. The price tag for all projects was expected to be about $11 billion, according to the newspaper report.
The renovations at Tom Bradley International Terminal and the addition of new explosives detection machines in the baggage system – the two remaining items in the agreement – are considered separate from the multi-billion dollar modernization project.
These will be the first enhancements to the airport since Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Olympics.
