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D Line Extension

From Alfawiki
D Line Subway Extension Project
Company typePublic infrastructure project
IndustryPublic transportation
Founded2010
FounderLos Angeles Metro
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
Area served
Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Westside
OwnerLos Angeles Metro

The D Line Subway Extension Project—previously referred to as the Westside Subway Extension, Subway to the Sea, and Purple Line Extension—represents a significant infrastructure effort aimed at lengthening the Los Angeles Metro Rail's D Line (formerly known as the Purple Line) from its present endpoint at in Koreatown, Los Angeles toward the Westside area. Overseen by Los Angeles Metro, this initiative holds a top position within Metro’s strategic long-term agenda and is financed through local sales tax programs, specifically Measure R and Measure M.

The preliminary environmental impact statement was finalized in September 2010, followed by the selection of a preferred route alternative in October of the same year. The comprehensive environmental impact report was published in 2012, culminating in full authorization from the Metro Board on April 26, 2012. Construction activities are segmented into three distinct phases.

Currently, all three segments are under development, collectively adding nearly of heavy rail track spanning Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Section 1, extending from Wilshire/Western to Wilshire/La Cienega, commenced construction on November 11, 2014. Pre-construction efforts for Section 2, covering Wilshire/La Cienega to Century City, began in April 2017, with formal groundbreaking taking place on February 23, 2018. For Section 3, utility relocations started in February 2018 to prepare for future stations at Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital; its official groundbreaking was held on May 24, 2021. Tunneling operations were completed on April 2, 2024.

There is a proposed fourth phase that would extend the D Line approximately 3.5 miles westward beneath Wilshire Boulevard from Westwood/VA Hospital to Santa Monica beach, potentially linking with the E Line or a future terminus of the Lincoln Boulevard Transit Corridor.

Overview

The extension is designed to operate between and , including tail tracks that allow for possible further westward growth. The new subway stations will be inaugurated in stages:

Early concepts

From early planning stages, Wilshire Boulevard was recognized as a vital corridor for transit development. Initial designs for the Metro Rail system included a rapid transit route linking Downtown Los Angeles with the Westside, featuring a branch extending north along Fairfax Avenue toward Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. A subway beneath Wilshire Boulevard connecting Westwood to Downtown was proposed as early as 1961 but lacked funding. Attempts by voters in 1968 and 1974 to approve subway construction to West Los Angeles were unsuccessful; however, Proposition A passed in 1980 established a half-cent sales tax dedicated to rail transit projects. The Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD), predecessor of Metro, planned a subway line running from Downtown to Fairfax Avenue before turning north along Fairfax toward Hollywood and beyond. Concerns about methane gas hazards led to rerouting the north–south segment via Vermont Avenue instead.

Earlier resistance and suspension of Wilshire extension

Efforts to expand the subway westward along Wilshire Boulevard encountered extended opposition from local politicians and community groups, notably including Beverly Hills representatives and lawmakers such as Congressman Henry Waxman and Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. Following a methane explosion near Fairfax and Third Street in 1985, Waxman successfully passed federal legislation prohibiting tunneling through a designated "methane zone" that stretched across Mid-Wilshire along Wilshire Boulevard. This restriction compelled planners to consider rerouting the line southward around the zone via Crenshaw, Pico, and San Vicente Boulevards—a plan that ultimately did not come to fruition. To qualify for federal financial support, the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD) redirected the subway north along Vermont Avenue before turning west beneath Hollywood Boulevard toward the San Fernando Valley. The resulting Red Line was completed in 2000.

Construction on the Red Line began in 1986 but was plagued by numerous obstacles: disruptions to local businesses caused some closures; disagreements arose over budget overruns with contractor Tutor-Saliba; and a prominent sinkhole in Hollywood became emblematic of the project's challenges. In 1998, voters passed a measure championed by Yaroslavsky that prohibited the use of sales tax revenues for subway tunneling anywhere in the county, effectively stopping plans for a Westside Subway.

The Red Line section extending to opened in 1996 and continues to serve as the western endpoint of what is now the D Line.

Renewed backing and authorization

In 2000, an urban art collective named Heavy Trash installed signs promoting a fictitious "Aqua Line," illustrating a subway route along Wilshire Boulevard reaching the ocean with ten stops. Although a prank, it underscored public dissatisfaction over the absence of a subway link between Santa Monica, the Westside, and Downtown Los Angeles. The term "Aqua Line" was later adopted as the name for the Expo Line.

Throughout the 2000s, escalating congestion on Wilshire Boulevard bolstered calls for extending the subway westward. The Metro Rapid bus service operating on Wilshire was running at full capacity. In 2005, Los Angeles elected Antonio Villaraigosa as mayor; he made extending the subway to Santa Monica a priority, describing it as "the most heavily used subway in the country" and "the most cost-efficient public transit project in America." Villaraigosa also held multiple terms as chairman of the Metro Board.

By December 2005, Congressman Henry Waxman—who had originally sponsored the methane tunneling prohibition—advocated repealing it after receiving assurances regarding safety. He introduced legislation (H.R. 4653) aimed at lifting the ban.

In July 2006, Metro's board authorized funding for a Major Investment Study (MIS) to assess a subway extension west beyond Western Avenue.[1] The following month, Metro renamed the Wilshire segment of the Red Line as the Purple Line.[2]

This renewed momentum sparked growing public endorsement. In 2006, the Westside Cities Council of Governments officially supported the extension.[3] Later that year, both Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA joined advocacy efforts through this council’s Mass Transit Committee.[4] In 2007, the Beverly Hills City Council expressed support for a Wilshire alignment featuring stations at Wilshire/La Cienega and between Beverly Drive and Rodeo Drive.[5]

On June 28, 2007, Metro awarded a $3.6 million contract to Parsons Brinckerhoff to conduct an Alternatives Analysis (AA), investigate tunnel feasibility, and perform conceptual engineering work to progress preliminary design and environmental clearance.[6]

Waxman’s bill repealing the methane tunneling restriction was enacted into law in December 2007 as part of the 2008 omnibus spending bill, allowing planning and construction of the westward subway extension to proceed for the first time in twenty years.[7]

By 2009, Metro incorporated the Wilshire Subway Extension into its Long Range Transportation Plan and began environmental review processes.[8]

Preliminary alternatives evaluation

In the initial alternatives evaluation, several transit modes were explored, such as heavy rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and monorail. The main route options under consideration were the "Wilshire alignment" and the "West Hollywood alignment."

  • The Wilshire alignment tracks along Wilshire Boulevard, connecting major hubs including Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, and Century City. It extends westward from , detours through Century City, then reverts to Wilshire in Westwood.
  • The West Hollywood alignment, also referred to as the "Pink Line," emerged during public scoping. This route follows Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard, linking with the Wilshire corridor. It garnered significant endorsement from community members, transit supporters, and the City of West Hollywood.

Additional studied routes featured deviations to serve locations such as Beverly Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Farmers Market.

The study recommended advancing four alternatives for further investigation: "No Build," Transportation Systems Management (TSM), the Wilshire Alternative, and a combined Wilshire/West Hollywood Alternative. Both build scenarios proposed heavy rail to connect with the existing Metro Rail subway network. Alternatives involving monorail, light rail transit (LRT), and bus rapid transit (BRT) were excluded.

Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) alternatives

The DEIR assessed five distinct alternatives:

DEIR Alternative Description Daily New Trips Projected Cost
(billions)
Alternative 1 Wilshire corridor terminating at UCLA 24,142 $4.036
Alternative 2 Wilshire corridor extending to VA 27,615 $4.358
Alternative 3 Wilshire corridor reaching Santa Monica 35,235 $6.116
Alternative 4 Wilshire to VA plus West Hollywood corridor 31,224 $6.985
Alternative 5 Wilshire to Santa Monica plus West Hollywood corridor 40,123 $8.747

Alternatives 3 and 5 were carried forward from the initial evaluation as build options. Alternatives 1, 2, and 4 were introduced subsequently to address funding limitations and align with priorities outlined in Metro’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

The table below outlines the station proposals for each alternative:

Station Name Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Alt 4 Alt 5
Wilshire/Crenshaw ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Wilshire/La Brea ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Wilshire/Fairfax ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Wilshire/La Cienega ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Wilshire/Rodeo ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Century City ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Westwood/UCLA ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Westwood/VA Hospital ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
Wilshire/Bundy   –    | ✓ |   –    | ✓
Wilshire/26th Street   –    | ✓ |   –    | ✓
Wilshire/16th Street   –    | ✓ |   –    | ✓
Wilshire/4th Street   –    | ✓ |   –    | ✓
Santa Monica/La Brea   –    |   –    | ✓ | ✓
Santa Monica/Fairfax   –    |   –    | ✓ | ✓
Santa Monica/San Vicente   –    |   –    | ✓ | ✓
Beverly Center   –    |   –    | ✓ | ✓

Additionally, the DEIR outlined six option sets concerning station siting and routing preferences:

  • Option 1: Inclusion of a station at Wilshire/Crenshaw – Yes or No
  • Option 2: Location of Wilshire/Fairfax station – positioned west of intersection or beneath intersection
  • Option 3: Placement of Wilshire/La Cienega station – east or west side of intersection
  • Option 4: Route selection between Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City stations – choices among "Santa Monica Blvd," "Constellation North," or "Constellation South" alignments; Century City station sited on either Santa Monica Blvd or Constellation Blvd; routing between Century City and Westwood/UCLA following "East," "Central," or "West" alignments
  • Option 5: Westwood/UCLA station location – at Wilshire/Gayley or Wilshire/Westwood
  • Option 6: Positioning of Westwood/VA Hospital station – situated south or north of Wilshire

Route Selection: Alternative 2

In September 2010, Metro published the preliminary environmental impact statement without endorsing any particular option among five proposed alternatives. Nevertheless, only Alternatives 1 and 2 corresponded with Measure R and Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), positioning them as the primary contenders.

By October 2010, Metro staff advocated for advancing with Alternative 2, suggesting these modifications:

  • Remove Crenshaw Station.
  • Construct eastern station possibilities at Wilshire/Fairfax and La Cienega.
  • Eliminate the West Hollywood Connection Structure.
  • Century City Station:
  • Maintain evaluation of Santa Monica and Constellation options.
  • Investigate Constellation North and Santa Monica routes between Beverly Hills and Century City.
  • Limit study to the East alignment between Century City and Westwood.
  • Westwood/UCLA Station: continue analysis of Wilshire/Westwood and Wilshire/Gayley locations.
  • Westwood/VA Hospital Station: assess both VA Hospital North and South alternatives.
  • Expand the existing Division 20 facility for storage and maintenance purposes.

Removing the West Hollywood Connection Structure precluded the possibility of a heavy-rail branch line as outlined in Alternatives 4 and 5, primarily due to its $135 million price tag and limited cost-efficiency. Metro left open the option of future light rail expansions southward along San Vicente Boulevard linking to the K Line north of Exposition Boulevard.

After opposition from Beverly Hills residents and officials, the Metro Board requested a comprehensive comparison of Century City station alternatives in the FEIR. Ultimately, Metro chose the Constellation Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars site despite resistance favoring Santa Monica Boulevard. The decision was influenced by concerns over earthquake fault zones and proximity to a golf course at the Santa Monica location. Following legal disputes, Metro's position was upheld, affirming the DEIR conclusions. By late October 2010, the Metro Board certified the DEIR and adopted staff proposals as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). A 2013 Metro briefing confirmed construction commencement on Section 1 extending to La Cienega and further to Westwood Veteran's Administration Medical Center, outlining approaches and schedules for all three sections.

Project budget and planning

Since its inception in the 1950s, projected expenses for this project have escalated. In 2008, Metro endorsed Measure R while discontinuing use of the local nickname "Subway to the Sea" to manage costs, boost public acceptance, and concentrate on serving Central Los Angeles with a link from Century City to downtown. At that time, construction was underway on the Expo Line (now E Line) extending to Santa Monica, prompting Metro to avoid promoting two separate lines to Santa Monica in order to preserve regional support.

Cost estimates in the late 2000s placed total expenses at approximately $4.2 billion (in 2008 dollars). Measure R contributed $4.074 billion in funding, while Measure M in 2016 provided additional resources aimed at expediting construction.

Currently, Metro estimates that completing this three-segment project—adding nine miles of track and seven stations—will require $8.2 billion. More than half of this funding is anticipated from federal "New Starts" grants combined with low-interest loans.

The accelerated timeline following Measure M sets target opening years for segments as follows:

  • 2025: La Cienega;
  • 2027: Century City;
  • 2028: Westwood/VA.

Officials are actively pursuing supplementary funding to ensure all stations are operational prior to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Opposition

Lisa Korbatov, President of the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board, opposed the plan to tunnel underneath Beverly Hills High School, citing concerns over the school's planned construction on the affected grounds. Korbatov also contested Metro's choice to position the Century City station along Constellation Boulevard rather than Santa Monica Boulevard. She argued that this decision, justified by Metro due to anticipated lower ridership and seismic fault issues, lacked sufficient safety analysis and could interfere with BHUSD’s future development strategies. In response, both the school district and the city initiated legal action against Metro in July 2012.

By April 2014, a Superior Court judge determined that Metro had fulfilled environmental study requirements as mandated by California law. Despite BHUSD and local Beverly Hills organizations investing over $10 million in legal fees, their appeals failed to obstruct Metro’s federal contract awards for the project. Subsequent appeals similarly affirmed Metro’s adherence to legal standards.

In January 2018, BHUSD filed another lawsuit seeking further environmental evaluations focused on health risks and attempted to halt federal funding until compliance was verified. Metro countered by asserting full conformity with all agreements and legal obligations, including assurances of safe tunneling beneath Beverly Hills High School.

Although litigation persisted through October 2018, a local court suspended the lawsuit in June 2019 to allow for mediation discussions. Metro declined mediation offers, maintaining that all environmental reviews had been properly conducted. In May 2020, judicial rulings again favored Metro, concluding that its decisions were neither arbitrary nor capricious and effectively ending the litigation.

Throughout this legal battle, BHUSD spent more than $16 million from bond funds on unsuccessful challenges. Metro confirmed that these lawsuits did not impact the Purple Line Extension’s schedule or budget, reporting continued progress "on time and on budget."

Section 1

In July 2014, a joint venture comprising Skanska, Traylor, and J.F. Shea Co secured a $1.6 billion contract for Section 1. This consortium was chosen over Dragados’ bid—which was $192 million less—due to Skanska’s proven track record with Los Angeles transit projects such as the E Line and Regional Connector.

The official groundbreaking for this segment took place in November 2014. Originally estimated at $2.8 billion, the project's cost has since risen to approximately $3.35 billion due to budget overruns. Funding sources include a $1.25 billion federal "New Starts" grant, an $856 million infrastructure loan, and allocations from Measure R. Forecasts indicate an average weekday ridership of about 62,000 per station.

Tunneling commenced in fall 2018 using twin Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines (TBMs) named "Soyeon" and "Elsie," starting from La Brea station toward Wilshire/Western station. Soyeon reached Wilshire/Western by June 2019, marking the halfway point of Section 1’s excavation. Both TBMs then returned to Wilshire/La Brea to continue tunneling westward toward Wilshire/La Cienega.

Section 2

Section 2 extends to Century City and secured a $1.6 billion grant from the Federal Transit Administration in January 2017, covering most of its estimated $2.6 billion cost. Additional funding was provided locally through Measure M. The Metro board awarded a $1.37 billion construction contract to a joint venture between Tutor Perini and O&G Industries, with completion anticipated by 2025.

Pre-construction activities began following issuance of the notice to proceed in April 2017. Major construction work at Wilshire/Rodeo station started in late 2018, with an official groundbreaking ceremony held on February 23, 2018.

The twin TBMs named "Ruth Bader Ginsburg" and "Harriet Tubman" arrived at Century City station in June 2019 and proceeded eastward tunneling toward Wilshire/La Cienega and subsequently Wilshire/Rodeo by early 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic allowed Metro to expedite piling and decking operations at Wilshire/Rodeo station between January 2021 and June 2020.

Section 3

The contract valued at $410 million for tunneling was granted to the joint venture between Frontier-Kemper and Tutor Perini to construct the twin tunnels, while Tutor Perini also secured a $1.8 billion design/build contract for building the stations. Both stages were contingent upon the approval of final federal full funding grant agreements (FFGA) by Congress in 2016. Utility relocation efforts commenced in February 2018 in preparation for the Westwood/UCLA station. Despite federal funding authorization in 2016, there were delays in fund distribution during the Trump Administration.

To keep the project timeline intact and prevent reissuing contracts, Metro needed "Letters of No-Prejudice" from the USDOT FTA before October 2018. The USDOT provided this letter in September 2018, accompanied by an initial grant of $491 million, followed by additional allocations of $100 million each in November 2018 and July 2019. These funds enabled Metro and the Frontier-Kemper/Tutor Perini partnership to expedite tunneling operations and initiate construction activities.

In February 2019, Metro approved a $3.6 billion budget for the project and officially awarded Tutor Perini the design/build contract. Subsequently, in April 2019, Metro received a second FTA "letter of no prejudice" covering station construction, testing, and track installation. The two tunnel boring machines utilized in Section 3 were named “Aura” and “Iris,” chosen from submissions by military veterans and UCLA community members. By February 2020, Metro secured the final FFGA amounting to $1.3 billion through "New Starts" grants.

Construction is progressing on an expedited schedule aiming for a 2027 completion date. The groundbreaking ceremony for Section 3 took place on May 25, 2021, with tunneling operations commencing eastward from the Westwood/VA Hospital station. Tunneling was successfully finished on April 2, 2024.

Further reading


External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BoardMinutes200607
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named RenamePurpleLine
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WestsideCOG
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WestsideTransportComm
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BeverlyHillsTransitComm
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Metro200706
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WaxmanOverturnsLaw
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LRTP
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