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Here are new renderings of the LAX designed to be a lot less congested

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A better look at the driverless train that will carry passengers to terminals

By Jenna Chandler
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New construction will “respect” the Modern style of the airport’s existing buildings, including architect William Pereira’s iconic theme building, the spider-like structure seen in the background.
All images via the environmental impact report for the Landside Access Modernization Program

Renderings released Thursday make it a lot easier to imagine a future where you’d no longer rather drive to Burbank or Long Beach to take advantage of their sweet little airports than fly out of LAX.

Key to that future is unsnarling Los Angeles International Airport’s traffic mess with new transportation options, the most of exciting of which is an "automated people mover"—a driverless, self-propelled electric train that will ferry travelers among terminals and to future light rail transit stations and to a new hub for rental car agencies.

The plan is inching closer to fruition with the release Thursday of an environmental impact report, a mandated review that details the proposed changes and their impacts. The report has renderings that show how the airport would look with the people mover, plus other additions, including pedestrian bridges, structures for passenger pick-up and drop-off, landscaping, and revamped terminal facades.

It also explains the design inspiration for all of the new structures. They will "respect" the "distinctive traits of California Modern," i.e. "strong connections to the outdoors;" the use of glass to "provide transparency;" "clean, horizontal lines;" and "'floating'" or cantilevered forms."

Without further ado, the renderings:

Part of the plan includes new terminal facades with airline signs that are easier to see. This rendering also shows a pedestrian bridge.
The automated people mover will have six stations with concessions and airline check-in kiosks and baggage check-in areas. Covers will be designed to "relate to" the look of the iconic Theme Building.
The people mover, the tracks for which will be elevated 70 feet off the ground, will connect to future Metro light rail. It’s estimated people mover trains would arrive every two to three minutes.
The "consolidated rental car center." A new hub for rental car agencies.
"Intermodal Transportation Facilities," will, the LAX website says, "provide airport users multiple locations outside the terminal area to pick-up and drop off passengers, park their cars, check-in and get to their flights by taking the LAX Train."

Watch: The historic TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport

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