B Line (Los Angeles Metro)

B Line (Los Angeles Metro)
	File:LACM B Line.svg Logo used since 2020 rebranding
Company type	Rapid transit
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	January 30, 1993; 33 years ago (service start)
Headquarters	Los Angeles, United States
Area served	Los Angeles, California
Owner	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
Parent	Los Angeles Metro Rail
Website	www.metro.net/riding/rail/b-line/

The B Line—known as the Red Line from 1993 until 2020—is an entirely subterranean rapid transit route in Los Angeles, connecting North Hollywood with Union Station located in Downtown Los Angeles. It forms part of the six-line network within the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and is managed by Los Angeles Metro. Built over four stages between 1986 and 2000, the total expenditure for this infrastructure reached $4.5 billion.

This line, along with the D Line, represents one of the two completely underground subway services in Los Angeles. Both lines share tracks as they traverse through Koreatown and Downtown. By 2024, the combined weekday ridership for these two lines averaged approximately 66,642 boardings.

In 2020, Metro introduced a rebranding initiative that assigned letters and colors to its lines: the former Red Line was redesignated as the B Line, maintaining its red color scheme, while the Purple Line was renamed the D Line.

Route

The B Line operates as a subway commencing at North Hollywood station in the San Fernando Valley. From there, it proceeds southeast beneath Cahuenga Pass, passing through Hollywood and Koreatown. The route continues eastward along Hollywood Boulevard before turning south on Vermont Avenue. At Wilshire/Vermont station, it converges with the D Line, and together they run between Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street, where transfers to the A and E light rail services are available at 7th Street/Metro Center station. The unified lines then advance northeast through Downtown Los Angeles, including stops at the Financial District, Pershing Square, and Civic Center, ultimately terminating at Union Station.

The segment passing through Cahuenga Pass roughly aligns with a former branch of the historic Pacific Electric railway system, although it occupies a distinct right-of-way.

Hours and frequency

Time	5A	6A	7A	8A-6P	7P	8P	9P-12A
Weekdays	14-18	12					20
Weekends/Holidays	20		16-20	12		20

Station listing

Below is a list of B Line stations ordered from north to south; all stations are situated within Los Angeles city limits.

Station	Date opened	Neighborhood	Major connections and notes
Template:LAMs	June 24, 2000	North Hollywood	Template:LACMTA icon Park and ride: 1,085 paid spaces
Template:LAMs		Studio City	Universal Studios Hollywood shuttle Park and ride: 782 paid spaces
Template:LAMs		Hollywood
Template:LAMs	June 12, 1999	Hollywood
Template:LAMs		East Hollywood
Template:LAMs
Template:LAMs
Template:LAMs
Template:LAMs	July 13, 1996	Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown	Template:LACMTA icon
Template:LAMs	January 30, 1993	Westlake	Template:LACMTA icon Park and ride: 6 spaces
Template:LAMs		Downtown Los Angeles	Template:LACMTA icon strip
Template:LAMs			Template:LACMTA icon strip
Template:LAMs			Template:LACMTA icon strip
Template:LAMs			Template:Show by date Template:Rint Amtrak, Template:Rint LAX FlyAway and Template:Rint Metrolink Paid parking: 3,000 spaces

Ridership

Note: The ridership data presented here aggregates figures for both the B and D Lines.

Annual ridership statistics
Year	Ridership	%±
2009	47,453,332	—
2010	47,434,969	Template:Change
2011	46,964,495	Template:Change
2012	48,703,612	Template:Change
2013	51,030,536	Template:Change
2014	48,645,206	Template:Change
2015	46,356,726	Template:Change
2016	45,629,352	Template:Change
2017	44,861,106	Template:Change
2018	43,301,200	Template:Change
2019	41,775,490	Template:Change
2020	22,776,524	Template:Change
2021	21,398,104	Template:Change
2022	25,767,716	21398104\|25767716\|disp=out\|}

History

The B Line originated as part of a comprehensive strategy to link Downtown Los Angeles with the central and western districts through subway infrastructure. Early concepts during the 1980s envisioned a route along Wilshire Boulevard extending to Fairfax Avenue, then turning north toward the San Fernando Valley. However, opposition and a methane gas explosion near Fairfax in 1985 halted excavation efforts west of Western Avenue, leading to political intervention that prohibited tunneling in this hazardous zone. Consequently, the alignment was altered to follow Vermont Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.

Construction officially commenced on September 29, 1986, at the site destined to become the Civic Center/Grand Park station, under the direction of the Southern California Rapid Transit District. The B Line was developed in four minimum operating segments (MOS):

MOS-1 (Union Station to Westlake/MacArthur Park) launched service on January 30, 1993.
MOS-2A (Westlake/MacArthur Park to Wilshire/Western) opened on July 13, 1996; currently only Wilshire/Vermont remains part of the active B Line.
MOS-2B (Wilshire/Vermont to Hollywood/Vine) began operations on June 12, 1999.
MOS-3 (Hollywood/Vine to North Hollywood) started service on June 24, 2000.

The entire project incurred construction expenses near $4.5 billion.

During the development of MOS-2B in June 1995, a sinkhole appeared on Hollywood Boulevard causing significant delays and resulting in a change of contractors due to management concerns. This incident contributed to a voter-approved ban in 1998 on sales tax funding for subway tunneling projects. In contrast, tunneling for MOS-3 beneath the Santa Monica Mountains faced fewer obstacles, progressing approximately between 50 and 200 feet daily with continuous crew operations.

Initial proposals also included extending service eastward toward East Los Angeles and westward toward Warner Center in the San Fernando Valley. Due to restrictions on underground tunneling, Metro pursued alternative transit solutions:

A mandate in the San Fernando Valley in 1991 required underground rail; therefore, Metro developed the G Line busway connecting North Hollywood with Warner Center, which commenced operations on October 29, 2005.
East of Union Station, Metro implemented the E Line light rail with both subterranean and surface-level segments reaching East Los Angeles, inaugurated on November 15, 2009.

In a system-wide rebranding initiative undertaken in 2020, Metro transitioned to a letter-and-color naming scheme; the former Red Line was redesignated as the B Line (maintaining its red color), while the Purple Line became known as the D Line.

Operations

Within Metro Rail’s internal scheduling system, the B Line is identified as line 802.

Maintenance

The Division 20 Yard, also known as Santa Fe Yard, located at 320 South Santa Fe Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, serves as the primary maintenance and storage facility for the B and D Line trains. Access to this yard is gained by trains continuing beyond Union Station, making a right turn to surface near the eastern end of Ducommun Street, then proceeding south along 1st Street through a washing station before entering the yard.

Rolling stock

The B Line operates with A650 electric multiple units manufactured by Breda in Italy. During peak travel times, trains run in six-car configurations, while off-peak service typically uses four-car sets. Maintenance activities take place at the Santa Fe Avenue yard adjacent to the Los Angeles River near 4th Street.

In March 2017, Metro placed an order for new CRRC HR4000 rail vehicles intended for the B Line. Further expanding its fleet modernization efforts, in January 2024 Metro ordered 182 Hyundai Rotem HR5000 railcars to replace all existing Breda A650 units and increase service frequency to intervals of four minutes.

Extension to Arts District

In 2010, at the initiative of L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge, Metro conducted a feasibility study on adding a station along the west side of the Los Angeles River near 6th Street and Santa Fe Avenue. The analysis suggested that an at-grade extension utilizing Metro-owned right-of-way could be implemented for approximately $90 million.

An alternative proposal considered locating a station near Division 20 Yard north of 4th Street and Santa Fe Avenue, placing it closer to residents of the Arts District. With planned new turnback tracks associated with the D Line Extension designed to support reduced headways, incorporating this Arts District extension into the Purple Line Extension project could lower additional costs while improving service efficiency.

Extensions to the South

Metro is evaluating options to extend a subway line from Wilshire/Vermont station down Vermont Avenue reaching 120th Street as part of the Vermont Transit Corridor initiative. Various transit modes are under consideration, including subway, light rail, and dedicated busway systems.

Incidents

On December 22, 2006, mercury was spilled by a passenger on the Pershing Square station platform; although the operator was informed immediately, official authorities were only notified after an eight-hour delay. Following this event, Metro enhanced hazardous materials response training for its personnel.
On August 19, 2011, a fatal stabbing occurred during an altercation near Hollywood/Vine station; law enforcement apprehended the suspect five days afterward.
On September 4, 2012, a man accidentally fell onto tracks at North Hollywood station and was fatally struck by an oncoming train.
On May 22, 2018, an unidentified individual apparently jumped onto tracks at 7th St/Metro Center station and was fatally hit by a train; details surrounding this incident remain uncertain.
On April 20, 2024, a woman in her fifties was fatally stabbed at Universal City station; authorities subsequently arrested a suspect.

External links