What started as a relatively modest curbside tune-up at LAX has turned into a full-blown, multi-phase construction program with a price tag that has climbed to $308 million. A roughly $13 million design-and-preconstruction contract awarded three years ago has now evolved into an expansive overhaul of the Central Terminal Area’s arrivals and departures zones, reshaping loading lanes, sidewalks, and even the façades of several parking garages for travelers coming into and out of Los Angeles.
According to Los Angeles World Airports, the Board of Airport Commissioners has approved a contract amendment that formally pushes the CTA Curbside Improvement Program into active construction and into the hundreds of millions of dollars in total value. LAWA deputy executive director Hans Thilenius described the effort as an attempt to "create a first and last impression of Los Angeles," with refreshed lighting, new seating, and cohesive landscaping throughout the terminal loop. The agency says this builds on planning work that began in 2023 and marks the shift from design and preconstruction to hands-on building.
City records trace the project back to a five-year progressive design-build contract with Hensel Phelps, initially set with a "not-to-exceed" amount of about $13.07 million. Amendments in 2024 and 2025 added tens of millions more. As summarized in a City Administrative Officer report, the program is part of LAWA’s Capital Improvement Plan, and staff sought appropriations from the LAX Revenue Fund rather than the city’s general fund. The filing also outlines local-participation targets and notes LAWA’s intention to negotiate guaranteed-maximum-price packages before Phase Two construction, with some work elements currently estimated for completion by the end of December 2027.
Where the money comes from
For major capital projects, LAWA typically relies on airport-generated revenue and debt instead of tapping the city’s general fund. That means sources such as passenger facility charges and revenue bonds carry most of the load. LAWA’s investor materials detail recent bond issuances and related financing steps that feed into the airport’s broader modernization plan. Under that model, the airport fronts costs and reimburses projects over time through operating revenues and bond proceeds.
What travelers will see
Planning documents from the city break the curbside work into a long list of practical fixes. Crews are slated to repair inner and outer roadway lanes, expand passenger loading areas, and reconfigure pickup and drop-off zones. Crosswalks are scheduled for upgrades, sidewalks are set to be widened, and the curbside flow around the terminals is expected to see a noticeable refresh.
The work program also includes new screening on parking-structure façades, updated lighting for the iconic Theme Building, and low-maintenance landscaping that officials say is meant to better reflect Los Angeles. LAWA and city staff frame these changes as crucial for the post-Automated People Mover era, with an eye on improved safety and a clearer wayfinding in and around the Central Terminal Area.
Tied to bigger airport projects
The curbside makeover is arriving on top of some of the airport’s bigger and more expensive undertakings, including the long-delayed Automated People Mover. That project has seen both its budget and schedule shift in recent years, with its total cost landing in the low single-digit billions after additional settlements and approvals. The growing price tag has helped sharpen public scrutiny of landside spending at LAX. FOX 11 Los Angeles and other outlets have followed those changes and the resulting timeline adjustments.
Local impact and timeline
Airport and city materials highlight goals for small-business participation and local hiring as part of the curbside program. The work will roll out in phases, a strategy that is meant to keep LAX functioning while crews rotate through different sections of the Central Terminal Area. That also means travelers should expect intermittent lane closures, temporary reroutes, and shifting pickup instructions for months at a time around the terminal loop.
Officials say this phased approach is intended to sync the curbside construction with other landside projects, in an attempt to limit disruption even as multiple efforts unfold at once.
What’s next
With the Board of Airport Commissioners authorizing the shift into construction, LAWA staff are set to return with more specific pricing and scheduling information once guaranteed-maximum-price packages are negotiated. National outlets have already taken note of how far the contract value has climbed, including coverage from the New York Post, which reported a further $250 million amendment and said the deal would be extended through June 2029.
City records currently show the original contract term ending in late June 2028. Officials say the exact schedule and any formal extension will be clarified when LAWA submits final pricing packages and related documents for the curbside program.
