On May 26, 2016, 13 students from BIOLA U, USC, UCLA, and CSUN attended a luncheon held by the WTS-LA chapter featuring a presentation on the future of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). Their attendance was sponsored by various partners of WTS-LA, including Jacobs Engineering Group, Emilie Gino, John Livzey, Arthur Schurr, Alexandra Spencer, and USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Following the main course, Cynthia Guidry and Ellen Wright, respectively the Deputy Executive Officer and the Director of Terminal Planning and Design for the LAWA Planning and Development Group, showcased LAWA’s $5+ billion plan for capital improvements at LAX airport over the next decade. The impressive list of planned projects includes an entirely new satellite terminal and two new concourses, extensive renovations and reconstructions of existing terminals, and new connections between domestic and international terminals. LAWA’s program, of course, also includes the highly-anticipated automated people mover which by 2023 will link the airport directly to an upcoming Metro Rail line and a massive new rental car facility.

LAWA has planned and phased these projects with future travel growth in mind. According to their projections, LAX should expect to handle over 90 million annual passengers by 2024. The airport currently handles 75 million annual passengers and is close to its maximum capacity. At the WTS-LA presentation, Guidry announced that LAX requires at least 30 new flight gates to handle this growth. This is one of LAWA’s main objectives for terminal capacity expansion. Guidry also suggested that the prospects of a Los Angeles Super Bowl in 2021, a World’s Fair in 2022 or 2023, and the Olympic Games in 2024 provide even further pressure to expand the airport’s capacity and its connectivity to the rest of Los Angeles.

The room full of engineers, planners, and policymakers applauded the proposed improvements. Many sought to confirm that LAWA would favor small businesses with its design and construction contracts for these expansions, which Guidry subsequently ensured. The students in attendance found this interaction fascinating.

Students gave back to the chapter, handling the entire registration and payment table, and were invited to sit among practitioners to chat with them over lunch and during the engaging presentation.

“I am definitely interested in becoming a member (of WTS), and plan on attending as many events as possible,” remarked first time attendee, BIOLA urban studies student Janell Goddard.

WTS-LA is the Los Angeles area chapter of WTS International, an organization dedicated to the professional advancement of women in transportation and the championship of their career accomplishments. Cynthia Guidry has for many years been a great patron of WTS-LA and particularly praises its Adopt-A-School program. For more information on the chapter, see http://www.wtsinternational.org/losangeles/

Griffin Kantz

Kantz is a third-year undergraduate studying sustainable planning in the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. He can be reached at [email protected].