Skanska announced on July 22 that it has completed a $380 million road and utility project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The news was released through an announcement shared with Construction Dive.

According to the announcement, the project, named the Los Angeles World Airports Roadways, Utilities and Enabling project, aims to improve public transit connections at LAX and link four adjacent projects to reduce congestion and serve travelers at one of the busiest airports in the world.

According to information on the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) website, the roadways, utilities and enabling project consists of 16 smaller but high-priority subprojects and is a necessary component of LAX's $5.5 billion Landside Access Modernization Program. The program includes SkyLink (formerly known as the Automated People Mover), a rental car center, and parking structures. Construction began in November 2020 and included utility relocations and roadway improvements.

Skanska spokesperson Meghan Carvalho told Construction Dive via email that the project completed approximately 365,000 square feet of paving at the airport and surrounding transportation network. Roadway work included installing 8 lane-miles of pavement markings and road signs, as well as 1.5 miles of bicycle lanes.

Skanska USA Civil, the U.S. infrastructure unit of Stockholm-based builder Skanska, completed the project in May. Since then, the company has released a case study highlighting the impact of its "diverse business enterprise outreach" efforts.

Small business participation goals exceeded

Skanska said it exceeded its goals for small and local business participation in several categories, including:

  • Awarded $91 million (24%) to 139 small business enterprises, exceeding the 20% goal.
  • Awarded $89.7 million (24%) to 52 local business enterprises, exceeding the 7% goal.
  • Awarded $44.2 million (12%) to 40 local small business enterprises, exceeding the 3% goal.
  • Awarded $18.8 million (5%) to 19 disabled veteran business enterprises, exceeding the 3% goal.

Skanska said it entered into 170 contracts with 152 certified suppliers and subcontractors, totaling more than $160.5 million. The number of contracts is higher than the number of companies because some companies worked for multiple firms depending on the tier at which they were hired.

"When local businesses are given real opportunities, the benefits extend far beyond the construction site," said Teresa Maxwell, inclusion manager at Skanska USA Civil West, in the announcement. "This kind of success is key to making Los Angeles infrastructure more resilient, more representative, and more impactful."

Skanska's case study attributes the exceeded goals to proactive and frequent outreach, including 368 events and trainings that invited 1,790 businesses to bid on work. The case study notes this was aided by partnerships with industry associations such as the National Association of Women in Construction and the National Association of Minority Contractors.

"True inclusion is not just about checking a box—it elevates project quality, strengthens the workforce, and creates lasting impact for communities within the LAX airport influence area," said Traci Watson, president of the Southern California chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, in the case study.

Community outreach program

As part of the LAWA RUE project, Skanska supported the HireLAX apprenticeship readiness program. The program trains local residents for construction apprenticeship positions and, through contractors and local unions, gives them the opportunity to work on LAWA construction projects.

According to Skanska's announcement, since its inception, HireLAX has graduated more than 375 trainees and placed more than 264 people into union construction jobs.

Skanska's case study shows that during the RUE project, there were 2,258 skilled trades/union workers, of whom 706 were local workers, exceeding the 30% local hiring goal in the LAWA project labor agreement.