The fully elevated, 2.25-mile SkyLink system connects six stations linking the airport’s central terminal area with the Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility, new intermodal facilities, and the LA Metro Rail system, giving Los Angeles its first direct rail connection to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Operating 24/7 with trains arriving every two minutes during peak periods, SkyLink provides time-certain access to terminals and supports Los Angeles World Airports’ (LAWA) goals of reducing traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.
Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems engaged RDH to design and engineer custom cantilevered steel post and glazing windscreen systems for all six SkyLink stations and the maintenance facility. Because the stations sit on an elevated guideway exposed to wind and the dynamic pressure of passing trains, the scope included concrete embed systems designed for high wind and dynamic pressure conditions. RDH also designed barrier wall systems integrating Horton automatic doors. The work involved structural analysis and multiple review cycles with LAWA’s specialty security consultants to address compliance requirements for public transit infrastructure.
