LAX's long-awaited People Mover project delayed again

The much-anticipated opening of the People Mover at LAX was delayed again after another setback.

The project was originally supposed to open in 2023, but now it's expected to open in January 2027. 

"They need to get this finished. It's absolutely unfair, and it's crazy," said Matthew Smith, a senior at Loyola Marymount University. "We're the richest country in the world. We should be able to finish one People Mover, one train, one public transit project."

The People Mover is just over two miles of track designed to connect travelers to LAX terminals with parking, rental cars and Metro. 

"It feels just like a constant effort to delay and obstruct the completion of this project," Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said. "We are so close to the finish line, and yet we're still seeing this. It's infuriating."

It's unclear exactly who is to blame for the latest delay. The project is already three years late, $1.35 billion over budget and now embroiled in a lawsuit. 

The contractor is suing the city, claiming Los Angeles World Airports, which is overseeing the project, caused significant delays. 

Rodriguez said more needs to be done to investigate who is actually at fault for the ongoing problems. 

"So that residents can actually trust and taxpayers can trust that their dollars are being managed wisely and that people are being held accountable," Rodriguez said. 

The topic has been quickly politicized, with LA GOP Chair Roxanne Hoge wanting someone held accountable for failing to deliver the project on budget and on time.

"I would like to say I'm surprised but not at all," Hoge said. "I think this is an appropriate time to ask everyone to think of that Spider-Man meme where the three Spider-Men are all pointing at each other, because that's what we keep getting."

Delays could mean huge losses for investors. Seth Lehman at Fitch Ratings tracks whether bondholders risk not getting repaid. 

"Right now, what we're waiting for is when will LINXS, the project company, relaunch the final 30-day testing period," Lehman said.

The city agency that oversees the construction company building the People Mover could not specify the latest delay but said safety was its chief concern and that it would not clear the project to start moving people until the 30-day test period is finished.