KANSAS CITY, MO  Burns & McDonnell is providing key design services for a 700,000-square-foot concourse project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The new Midfield Satellite Concourse is scheduled to open in 2020 and will boost capacity and reliability at the country's second-busiest airport.

Although Burns & McDonnell previously has done refueling and environmental work for LAX, the Midfield Satellite Concourse contracts represent a major new opportunity. The firm will design the concourse underground fueling system; special systems; and ramp services, including passenger-boarding bridges. Burns & McDonnell will also provide commissioning services for the project and supervise other engineering work performed by sub-consultants.

The special systems being designed by Burns & McDonnell will incorporate the latest in technology including IT, electronic displays, and Wi-Fi capability that is expected to make the concourse the "smartest" domestic terminal, meeting data needs for passengers and airlines into the future.

Turner/PCL, a joint venture, is leading the design-build project and Burns & McDonnell is working as a sub-consultant to the prime designers for the joint venture: Corgan in association with Gensler. The new Midfield Satellite Concourse will be able to accommodate the world's largest wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380, while also being capable of serving narrow-body aircraft, such as 737s.

The satellite concourse is intended to fulfill two roles: providing substitute gates while renovation work occurs at other LAX terminals in the coming years, and ultimately providing additional capacity for domestic and international travel.

"The new gates will help LAX continue to serve travelers without interruption while pursuing other renovation projects," said Jim Rosick, Project Manager with the Aviation & Federal division of Burns & McDonnell. "Once those renovations are completed, the concourse will be a world-class facility to accommodate additional air service."

Design work is underway and major construction is expected to begin in 2017. Another eight gates could be added to the Midfield Satellite Concourse, bringing the total to 19, but no date has been set for that work.