The much-anticipated extension of one of LA Metro’s underground subways has been delayed to next year due to issues with testing.
The first of three Metro D Line extensions into west Los Angeles was scheduled to open later this year, expanding the subway nearly four miles with three new stations along Wilshire Boulevard.
Construction of Section 1 of the extension is 98% complete, but earlier this week, Metro officials announced that testing of the next extension “took longer than expected.”
For years, the plan has been for the first part of the extension to open in late-2025, although an exact date has never been formally announced. Now that timeline has shifted several months, with Metro officials saying it is anticipated in “Winter 2026,” presumably early next year.
In addition to the testing issues, Metro’s contractor is also completing “civic improvements,” which includes the construction of new sidewalks, curbs and gutters.
The D Line was closed in its entirety earlier this year for more than two months to allow for crews to work on communications lines and power systems to connect the extension to the rest of the underground system. It reopened in July with anticipation building for the ultimate opening of the first subway expansion in decades—not counting Metro’s underground light rail lines.
Crews continue work on the LA Metro D Line extension project in West L.A. (LA Metro/The Source)
But this week’s announcement has thrown cold water on that anticipation, with many voicing their frustration online.
“Why can literally NOTHING in the city get built on time? Where is the accountability?” one Reddit user posted in the dedicated LA Metro forum. “I’m annoyed, to say the least,” another user wrote.
The frustration among transit users and enthusiasts stems from a growing list of ongoing projects being delayed in recent years.
A plan to close an eight-mile gap in the existing biking and walking path along the Los Angeles River has run into delays and cost overruns, with construction expected to pick up again next year. The long-awaited LAX automated people mover, a project that connects to LA Metro but is managed by Los Angeles World Airports, has been delayed countless times and is now scheduled to open some time in 2026 as well.
But Metro has also experienced major success in recent months and years and it continues to actively expand its system.
In September, the A Line extension into Pomona began service, further extending the world’s longest light rail line into new cities with four new stations. That project, according to the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, was delivered on time.
The LAX/Metro Transit Center, one of the most significant and crucial projects for the system’s future, officially opened in June, providing the closest train connection to LAX yet—and one day connecting directly to the airport via its people mover vehicles.
The Metro Regional Connector, an underground tunnel project which rerouted and simplified existing lines in the downtown area and included three new underground stations, opened in June 2023 to much fanfare. That project was also delayed several years.
With many ongoing projects running into issues, frustration and anxiety has been building for Metro users and supporters, particularly as the city inches closer to the Summer Olympics in 2028—an event city leaders have said they would like to be mostly car-free.
This delay of Section 1 on the D Line appears to precede another delay further down the line. The 2.6-mile Section 2 extension, which will include two new stations on Beverly Drive and in Century City, appears to also have been pushed back from 2026 to 2027. The final 2.56-mile Section 3 extension, which would create a terminus at the Westwood/VA Hospital near Sawtelle, was planned to open in 2027 as well, although a delay has not been announced.
The Metro D Line extension project map. (Metro)
Section 2 is 83% complete, while Section 3 is 78% finished, according to LA Metro’s October construction status report.
LA Metro officials said that, while the delay is unfortunate, it wants the potentially transformative project to meet its high standards, and construction is a “complex and evolving process.”
“Metro is excited about adding three new stations and expanding rail access to new neighborhoods and destinations,” an LA Metro statement reads in part. “Metro is working as quickly as possible to ensure that when the line opens, it is something we can be proud of.”
For the latest on the D Line extension, click here.
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