LAX Midfield Satellite Concourse South
Award
Airports & Ports Project
Description
MSC South stands apart as a transformative advancement in airport construction, redefining how complex infrastructure can be delivered within one of the world’s most active airfield environments at Los Angeles International Airport.
At the core of this achievement is the first-of-its-kind Offsite Construction and Relocation (OCR) approach at LAX, where nine fully constructed concourse segments were built in a landside yard and transported approximately 1.75 miles across the airfield. This innovation shifted high-risk work away from active operations, enabling safer, higher-quality construction while accelerating the overall schedule by approximately seven months.
The execution required exceptional precision and coordination. All nine segments were successfully relocated over 27 nights between 2200 and 0430, maintaining uninterrupted airport operations with minimal impact to daily flights. This was made possible through a 16-month run-of-show planning effort, detailed rehearsals, and real-time coordination with Air Operations and multiple regulatory agencies.
MSC South further distinguishes itself through its reliability and delivery certainty. Implemented under CMAR, the project utilized continuous estimating, weekly design reviews, and proactive risk management to reduce change orders and maintain cost control within a highly complex environment.
Key highlights include:
- Nine prefabricated structural segments relocated across an active airfield
- 1.75-mile transport path using specialized equipment
- Seven-month schedule savings through OCR methodology
- 27 consecutive overnight operations with zero disruption to airport functionality
- Simultaneous landside fabrication and airside readiness work to compress schedule
- Coordination across LAWA, Air Operations, safety, utilities, and federal agencies
Beyond technical innovation, MSC South delivered meaningful public benefit by maintaining uninterrupted passenger operations, enhancing gate capacity, and improving the overall airport experience while construction progressed.
MSC South is not only a successful project, but a new benchmark for delivering aviation infrastructure safely, efficiently, and without disruption.
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