After the first section of LA Metro\u2019s D Line extension opened months later than initially expected and projected opening dates for the remaining sections shifted, construction is continuing west toward Westwood with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games less than two years away. <\/p>\n
The D Line begins at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and runs west through Koreatown. The nearly 9-mile extension begins at Wilshire\/Western and will eventually carry the line to Westwood, according to Metro\u2019s D Line project page.<\/a><\/p>\n The first section of the extension, which extends the subway from Koreatown to the Wilshire\/La Cienega area, opened May 8 \u2014 broadening commuters\u2019 subway access west along Wilshire Boulevard, according to the Metro website<\/a>. The section added stations at Wilshire\/La Brea, Wilshire\/Fairfax and Wilshire\/La Cienega. <\/p>\n The opening came after delays. Metro had previously expected Section 1 to open in fall 2025 before pushing the opening to winter 2026. Testing took longer than expected, and the section ultimately opened in May, according to LAist<\/a>. <\/p>\n The timelines for the remaining sections have also changed. Section 2 will extend the line through Beverly Hills to Century City, while Section 3 will continue from Century City to Westwood, adding stations at Westwood\/UCLA and the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. In July 2025, Metro said Sections 2 and 3 were expected to open in 2027 and 2028, respectively. By January 2026, however, a Metro project presentation listed Section 2 as expected to open in spring 2027 and Section 3 in fall 2027. Metro\u2019s current project page<\/a> does not list estimated opening dates for either section, saying only that construction remains underway. <\/p>\n The extension aims to \u201cimprove access\u201d and \u201creduce travel time\u201d for commuters, according to the Metro project page.<\/a> The project is also part of Metro\u2019s broader preparations for the 2028 Games. UCLA will serve as the Olympic and Paralympic Village, housing athletes and support personnel during the Games, according to LA28.<\/a> The Westwood\/UCLA station will be in Westwood Village, south of UCLA\u2019s main campus, and is intended to improve access to the university, according to Metro<\/a>. <\/p>\n Metro has described the D Line extension as a critical part of its transportation plans for the Games, when Los Angeles is expected to experience increased travel demand. In an October 2025 news release, Metro called the D Line extension to Westwood \u201ccritical to the success\u201d of the Games and said that without it, moving athletes, media and fans through some of Los Angeles\u2019 busiest corridors would be \u201cnearly impossible.\u201d Metro said the extension is part of its preparations for the 2028 Games.<\/a><\/p>\n