L.A. Metro to begin service on Phase 1 of D Line Subway Extension May 8
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) revealed it will begin service on the first section of the D Line Subway Extension Project on May 8. The 3.92-mile extension will take passengers west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, Calif., continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities, including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills. Three new underground stations will service the extension at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega.
L.A. Metro says this marks another one of the completed projects in its Twenty-Eight by ’28 initiative and part of a comprehensive plan to enhance the region’s transit infrastructure in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Traveling through Mid-Wilshire to experience the culture, cuisine and commerce across diverse neighborhoods will be easier, faster and more accessible. The opening of Section 1 of the D Line extension also brings us three stops closer to connecting [L.A.] Metro to the westside, including the 2028 Olympic Village at UCLA where the world’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes will reside,” said L.A. Metro Board Chair and Whittier Council Member Fernando Dutra. “That connectivity from Downtown LA to the westside will serve as a lasting legacy for all Angelenos.”
With this opening, L.A. Metro says riders will gain easy rail access to a wide array of historic locations, cultural institutions, shopping destinations, dining options and more thanks to the extension. The agency also notes that these new stations were designed to transform the way riders can experience the system, providing a seamless, single-seat ride from Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles to La Cienega in Beverly Hills is around 20 minutes with no transfers required. All stations will provide multi-modal access, including pedestrian lights, plaza level lighting cell phone service and bicycle hubs.
“Angelenos and visitors alike will love the extended service from Downtown Los Angeles to Beverly Hills, delivering greater access to the iconic and culturally diverse communities, institutions and destinations that define the deep history along Wilshire Boulevard,” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “The stations are filled with beautiful artwork making the journey to one’s destination an experience in itself. I can’t wait for everyone to enjoy and discover the vibrance of mid-Wilshire without the traffic.”
L.A. Metro says that Section 1 of the D Line extension was funded primarily via its 2008 Measure R transportation sales taxes. Local sales tax funding also secured federal matching funds, including $1.25 billion in full funding grant agreement funds, $66.4 million of supplemental New Starts and $749.3 million loan via the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act in May 2014.