Aviation/LAX station

Aviation/LAX station
Name	Aviation/LAX station
Type	Los Angeles Metro Rail station
Address	96th Street and Aviation Boulevard
Borough	Los Angeles County, California
Owner	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Line	Los Angeles Metro Rail C Line (ongoing LAX/Metro Transit Connector Project)
Platforms	2 side platforms (under construction as part of relocation)
Structure	Elevated / relocated under construction
Opened	1995 (original configuration)
Rebuilt	2021–2024 (relocation and connector project)
Former	Aviation/I-105

Aviation/LAX station is a light rail station on the Los Angeles Metro Rail network serving the Los Angeles International Airport area in Los Angeles County, California. The station functions as a multimodal node intended to link Los Angeles International Airport, regional bus services, and arterial roadways via the C Line (formerly the Green Line) and the under-construction LAX/Metro Transit Connector. The site has been a focal point for infrastructure planning involving the Los Angeles World Airports, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, and regional transit agencies.

Overview

Aviation/LAX station serves as a critical interchange between the C Line and surface transit connections to Los Angeles International Airport and nearby neighborhoods such as Westchester, Los Angeles, Inglewood, California, and El Segundo, California. The station's relocation and associated projects aim to integrate services developed by entities including the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Federal Transit Administration, Caltrans District 7, and the Port of Los Angeles planning consortia. Regional stakeholders such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have influenced project scope and funding.

Location and design

Located near the intersection of 96th Street and Aviation Boulevard, the station sits close to the I-405 (San Diego Freeway) corridor and adjacent to airport support facilities owned by Los Angeles World Airports. The design integrates elevated platforms, passenger amenities influenced by standards from the American Public Transportation Association, and wayfinding consistent with practices used at stations like Union Station (Los Angeles), North Hollywood station, and Wilshire/Western station. Architects and engineers from firms involved in the project coordinated with agencies such as the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration to accommodate airspace and security requirements near Los Angeles International Airport runways. The station's planned pedestrian bridge and automated people mover interface reflect design precedents from projects including the AirTrain JFK and the PHX Sky Train.

Services and operations

Aviation/LAX is served by the C Line, which connects to Norwalk Station (Los Angeles Metro), Redondo Beach, and links riders to transfer points such as 7th Street/Metro Center station, North Hollywood station, and the A Line (Los Angeles Metro) corridor via timed transfers. Operations are managed by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in coordination with regional carriers like Metrolink (California), Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus, Los Angeles Department of Transportation DASH shuttles, and intercity services including Greyhound Lines where applicable. Fare and service planning align with fare systems used across the Metro Rail and Metro Bus networks, incorporating fare gates, TAP card integration, and service schedules developed with input from the Southern California Association of Governments.

History and development

The original station opened in 1995 as Aviation/I-105, part of the C Line expansion during the era of projects overseen by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and funded through local sales tax measures such as Measure R (Los Angeles County). Early planning involved environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, with community input from stakeholders including the Westchester Neighborhood Council and airport tenants. Later redevelopment emerged from initiatives tied to the LAX Landside Access Modernization Program and public-private partnership proposals influenced by the Los Angeles World Airports master plan. Major contractors and consultants involved have included national engineering firms experienced with projects like Seattle–Tacoma International Airport light rail connections.

Connections and access

The station provides bus bays and kiss-and-ride areas linking services operated by Los Angeles Metro Bus, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Culver CityBus, and airport shuttle operators managed by Los Angeles World Airports. A dedicated people mover and consolidated rental car facility connections are planned to mirror transfer systems found at airports served by the AirTrain Newark and Denver International Airport A Line. Ground access incorporates bicycle facilities and pedestrian improvements coordinated with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and California Department of Transportation to facilitate safe crossings of Aviation Boulevard and access to employment centers such as the Los Angeles International Airport Business District.

Ridership and impact

Ridership patterns at Aviation/LAX reflect demand from airport employees, local commuters from communities like Hawthorne, California and El Segundo, California, and travelers bound for Los Angeles International Airport. Studies by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the California State Transportation Agency have analyzed mode-shift potential, greenhouse gas reductions, and congestion mitigation outcomes similar to analyses performed for projects like the Expo Line and Regional Connector Transit Project. Economic impacts include access improvements for nearby industrial zones, increased transit-oriented development interest comparable to projects at Downtown Long Beach and Culver City, and effects on local land use overseen by the City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning.

Future plans and expansions

Future work centers on completion of the LAX/Metro Transit Connector Project and integration with the LAX Automated People Mover developed by Los Angeles World Airports. Further proposals involve extending regional rail interfaces with Crenshaw/LAX Line (K Line), evaluating service frequency adjustments aligned with goals from Measure M (Los Angeles County), and potential multimodal enhancements inspired by international airport-rail integrations such as Heathrow Express and Tokyo Monorail. Ongoing coordination includes federal grant applications to the Federal Transit Administration and interagency agreements among the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, Los Angeles World Airports, and municipal partners to secure funding and complete environmental and construction milestones.

Category:Los Angeles Metro Rail stations Category:Railway stations in Los Angeles County, California