The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) hosted a celebration to dedicate the K Line’s Downtown Inglewood Station, which will connect riders to a revitalized Downtown Inglewood, major entertainment venues, mom-and-pop shops, parks, housing developments and schools.
The station is one of three K Line stations serving Inglewood. Local, county, state and federal officials were also in attendance. The K Line is officially expected to open this fall, with future rail connections to the South Bay region expected in 2023 and to Los Angeles International Airport in 2024.
The Downtown Inglewood Station is in the heart of Inglewood, at the intersection of La Brea Avenue and West Florence Avenue. The station will easily connect riders to the Grace Hopper STEM Academy, Crozier Middle School, Inglewood High School and the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Patrons will also have quicker access to the Market Street Shopping District, Grevillea Art Park, Inglewood City Library, Inglewood City Hall, SoFi Stadium, KJLH radio station, The Kia Forum, YouTube Theater, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen and Hill Top Café.
“The Downtown Inglewood Station will bolster the downtown shopping district where you can feel the nostalgia in the air and where a rich history is reflected in its historic buildings,” said Glendale City Council Member and L.A. Metro Board Chair and Ara J. Najarian. “The K Line will connect Inglewood with the rest of the county and bring Angelenos to the City of Champions to enjoy sports and entertainment without the hassle of traffic congestion, high gas prices and parking fees.”
In the future, the Downtown Inglewood Station will act as a transition station to the Inglewood Transit Connector’s Market Street/Florence Avenue Station that is just a block north of the station. The Inglewood Transit Connector is expected to break ground in 2024, open in 2027 and will help provide access to the LA 2028 Olympic venues in Inglewood.
L.A. Metro and the city of Inglewood have also entered into an agreement to implement L.A. Metro’s first/last mile improvements that will serve the city’s Fairview Heights, Downtown Inglewood, Westchester/Veterans stations and the Crenshaw C Line Station. The first/last mile amenities will enhance safety, promote and improve walking and add street furniture and biking access to each station.
As one of the three stations serving Inglewood, the station will also provide an essential transit link for commuters heading to the South Bay, Downtown Los Angeles and the Westside via connections with the E Line (Expo). Another nearby station, Aviation/Century, is projected to open in fall 2023 and will provide access to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and is one stop away from the C Line (Green).
The Airport Metro Connector (AMC) Project will provide a connection to LAX’s People Mover and is planned to open in late 2024, giving the Inglewood residents access to the airport by train for the first time.
During L.A. Metro’s station dedication ceremony, the agency also celebrated the importance of station art. Officials recognized Downtown Inglewood Station’s commemorative pin contest winner, high school student Cecilia Vasquez.
All K Line stations include artwork commissioned through the Metro Art program. Artists were selected through an open, competitive selection process following the recommendation of a panel of community-based arts professionals.
Artwork commissioned for the Downtown Inglewood Station features Sonder by Kenturah Davis that portrays the aim to encourage connections between strangers while riding transit.
