The central terminal area at Los Angeles International Airport experienced a sudden onset of calm this Tuesday—the nearby LAX-it waiting area for ride-hailing pick-ups and drop-offs, not so much.
Laura J. Nelson and Erin B. Logan report on the first day of LAX-it, the new scheme that moves ride-hailing pick ups and drop offs to a location outside the central terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Early reviews show the new arrangement was unpleasant for ride-hailing visitors to the airport:
Even on a low-traffic day, the new pickup system had some growing pains. At points in the early afternoon, the wait time for Uber and Lyft rides swelled, with more than 100 people waiting in each line for their drivers in the pickup lot.
Moreover:
Travelers spent an average of 10 minutes waiting for the shuttle, boarding and riding it to the pickup lot on Tuesday, airport officials said. It took an additional eight minutes for travelers to get in a taxi and pull away from the curb; for Uber and Lyft, that time was 18 minutes.
Airport planners promise that easy fixes will improve the "LAX-it" experience, but meanwhile there were plenty of anecdotes from upset Uber and Lyft users on the first day of the new operations. Nelson also provided an explainer of the new LAX-it operations on the morning of the big day.
Meanwhile on Twitter, Nelson also provided an anecdote on the other side of the equation, where buses and shuttles appeared to be running smoothly and unencumbered by the crush of motorized humanity that has come to define the LAX terminal area experience.
FULL STORY: Starting today, LAX bans Uber, Lyft and taxi pickups at the curb. See how the new system works
Tinkering With New Ride-Hailing Area Produces Results at LAX
Few planning projects in recent weeks have attracted such scrutiny as the LAX-It ride-hailing pickup area at Los Angeles International Airport.
Congestion Tipping Point: Uber and Lyft Banned from LAX
Automobile traffic to LAX has increased by half in the last decade, and congestion has passed a tipping point.
LA City Council Approves Extra Funding for LAX People Mover
The automated electric rail system is expected to carry up to 30 million passengers per year to points in and around the Los Angeles International Airport.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Restoring Northern India’s Himalayan ‘Water Temples’
Thousands of centuries-old buildings protect the region’s natural springs and serve as community wells and gathering places.
Milwaukee to Double Bike Share Stations
Bublr Bikes, one of the nation’s most successful, will add 500 new e-bikes to its system.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service