The first phase of the Metro D (Purple) Line subway extension between Koreatown and Beverly Hills will open May 8, Metro announced on Thursday, Feb. 26.
The D Line subway from downtown’s Union Station currently ends at the Wilshire/Western Station in Koreatown. The first phase of the extension will add stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega.
The long-awaited and much-delayed extension opening was announced at the L.A. Metro meeting of its governing board.
“Isn’t that exciting,” began Fernando Dutra, L.A. Metro Board chair and Whittier City Council member. “This moment signals a new era of mobility for Los Angeles. A trip from downtown L.A. to Beverly Hills in just 21 minutes. That’s transformational. It is what Angelenos deserve and it is about time.”
Dutra said the extension of the all-underground subway line beneath Wilshire Boulevard was 11 years in the making, and had been delayed several times due to problems with testing taking longer than expected.
“The opening of Section 1 of the D Line extension also brings us three stops closer to connecting Metro to the westside, including the 2028 Olympic Village at UCLA where the world’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes will reside. That connectivity from downtown L.A. to the Westside will serve as a lasting legacy for all Angelenos.”
The D Line subway extension will expand the existing subway from Wilshire/Western in Koreatown about 9.1 miles to Westwood, once all three phases are completed.
Metro officials said the Phase 1 extension will allow riders to travel from Union Station to the edge of Beverly Hills in about 21 minutes. The line will eventually be extended to the Veterans Affairs campus in the Westwood/West Los Angeles area.
The second phase of the subway extension, tentatively set to open in spring 2027, will add stations in Beverly Hills and Century City. The third phase, tentatively planned for a fall 2027 opening, will add stations at UCLA and the VA hospital.
The overall extension effort is expected to cost nearly $10 billion.
“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,” Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said in a statement. “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.”
The first phase or section 1 will connect to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the La Brea Tar Pits, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Original Farmer Market and The Grove shopping center.
A construction car is moved along the tracks of the Metro D (Purple) Line beneath Wilshire Boulevard on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Los Angeles. Metro has completed the tunneling of the D (Purple) Line Subway Extension Project connecting downtown and West L.A. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Metro contractors used huge tunnel boring machines that excavated 40 to 60 feet per day to build the underground space, making it through tar sands and around abandoned oil wells under Beverly Hills High School.
“The D Line Subway Extension is one of the most complex engineering feats that Metro has undertaken,” said Third District L.A. County Supervisor and L.A. Metro board member Lindsey Horvath in 2024.
City News Service contributed to this report