LAX SkyLink: $1.4 billion overrun fuels mayoral race

The automated electric train system connecting Los Angeles International Airport to Metro has exceeded its budget by approximately $1.4 billion. This financial overrun has become a central issue in the tight contest for the Los Angeles mayor’s office. The project, currently designated as LAX SkyLink, was originally scheduled for completion in 2023. After several delays, the current target opening is February 2027.

Councilmember Nithya Raman, a challenger in the race, linked the project’s slippage to the incumbent administration. A recent poll showed Raman and Mayor Karen Bass in a dead heat. Raman argued that voters have valid reasons to doubt future completion dates. She cited a report from the Los Angeles Times, which attributed part of the delay to a dispute between the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Los Angeles World Airports. The conflict centers on the use of solar power to operate the train. Raman stated, “The opening keeps getting moved back.. and Angelenos have every right to doubt the next date they are given.” She further questioned the mayor’s oversight, asking, “Where is the Mayor? She is once again missing in action.”

Mayor Bass noted that the project was approved and launched during the administration of Eric Garcetti, before she took office. She pointed to disagreements among private contractors and safety concerns as primary causes for the delay. Bass emphasized the need for safety guarantees before opening the system to the public. She said, “We obviously don’t want people on the people mover until we are guaranteed that it is safe.” Bass anticipates that safety certification will be achieved by the beginning of the year. She warned that if the deadline is missed, one of the contractors will face severe financial penalties. The mayor holds the authority to appoint the heads of both the airport authority and the water and power department.

Newly surfaced video from late September appears to show an electrical explosion along the tracks. An October report from LINXS, the contractor building SkyLink, confirmed three arc flashes on the tracks on September 23 and September 25. A fact sheet from Los Angeles World Airports stated that arc flashes are not uncommon during the testing phase. The agency added that the problem areas have been repaired. The train must complete 30 consecutive days of successful testing to advance in the safety certification process.

Marshal McClain, a LAX police sergeant and the president of the local police union, expressed doubts about the project’s progress. McClain said, “We don't feel like the management of the airport is taking enough account of the safety of the operation of the SkyLink.” The contractor’s report also cites delays related to safety and disputes with LAX and the water and power department over solar power. The contractor has also filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles.

The next step in the project involves the ongoing testing phase. The system must demonstrate 30 consecutive days of successful operation to proceed with safety certification. The scheduled opening remains set for February 2027.