K Line Northern Extension

K Line Northern Extension

Company type	Public transit project
Industry	Transportation, public transit
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Area served	Western Los Angeles Basin, Hollywood, West Hollywood
Products	Light rail transit service (proposed)
Owner	Los Angeles Metro

The K Line Northern Extension, previously known as the Crenshaw Northern Extension, is a proposed Los Angeles Metro Rail light rail project intended to link the Expo/Crenshaw station with Hollywood/Highland station in Hollywood. This entirely subterranean corridor runs in a north–south direction through densely inhabited neighborhoods within the western Los Angeles Basin, and will function as an integral segment of the K Line. The Los Angeles Metro has placed high priority on this initiative, bolstered by strong backing from the West Hollywood community.

Construction is projected to commence in 2041, with passenger service anticipated by 2047, unless funding or project acceleration measures are introduced.

On July 23, 2024, LA Metro published the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), estimating the total expenditure for the extension to range between $11 billion and $14.8 billion, factoring in a 40% contingency allowance. Variations in costs are linked to different routing alternatives, where hybrid configurations promise greater ridership but entail higher financial commitments.

Overview

As part of Measure M, Los Angeles Metro designated $2.33 billion toward the Crenshaw/LAX corridor, a key transit pathway. This corridor evolved into what is now known as the K Line, a light rail connection bridging the C Line and E Line, with future plans to serve LAX. After nearly ten years of development, the K Line commenced operations in 2022. The proposed northern extension aims to link prominent employment hubs and popular attractions including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Center, The Grove, Farmers Market, and LACMA. Additionally, areas within West Hollywood such as Melrose and the Sunset Strip are under consideration for inclusion in future routing plans.

Initial Planning

Early concepts envisioned a route from Wilshire Boulevard down to LAX via the Crenshaw Corridor. However, during environmental assessments, Metro determined that implementing light rail transit (LRT) throughout this entire stretch would surpass budget constraints. Consequently, in December 2009, while approving LRT for the corridor, Metro postponed development of the segment north of Exposition Boulevard until sufficient funding could be secured—this portion was designated as "Phase Two."

Phase Two focuses on establishing a connection with the D Line, which is currently being extended under the D Line Extension project.

In May 2009, Metro conducted feasibility studies for extending northward to Wilshire Boulevard, analyzing two potential alignments: Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Crenshaw. The Wilshire/La Brea option was preferred due to its denser residential and employment base, land use favorable for high-capacity subway infrastructure, stronger regional linkage toward Hollywood, community endorsement within Hancock Park, and fewer geotechnical challenges compared to Crenshaw Boulevard north of Pico.

By October 2010, Metro had removed plans for a Wilshire/Crenshaw station from the D Line Extension project citing similar considerations.

The proposed 3.5-mile Wilshire/La Brea alignment would proceed north along Crenshaw to Venice Boulevard, then westward along San Vicente Boulevard before heading northwest on La Brea Avenue and finally turning north on Wilshire Boulevard. Potential station sites included Crenshaw/Adams (optional), Pico/San Vicente, and Wilshire/La Brea.

The feasibility analysis also outlined possible branch extensions beyond Wilshire along corridors such as La Brea Avenue, Fairfax Avenue, La Cienega Boulevard, or San Vicente Boulevard targeting areas like West Hollywood or Hollywood.

In November 2010, Metro further explored alternatives for linking the Crenshaw Corridor with transit lines serving West Hollywood and Hollywood.

In May 2014, West Hollywood City Council members John Heilman and Jeffrey Prang advocated hiring a lobbyist to promote Metro rail expansion within West Hollywood. Their initiative referenced commitments made by former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa assuring that West Hollywood would be prioritized next in line for rail service. Following this momentum, in 2015 the city established West Hollywood Advocates for Metro Rail (WHAM) to foster grassroots support for extending rail transit.

By September 2016, Metro CEO Phil Washington announced intentions to advance preparations for making the Crenshaw/LAX northern extension "shovel ready," contingent upon voter approval of Measure M—a countywide ballot initiative aimed at accelerating new transit projects and expediting those previously approved under Measure R.

Linkage with Phase One

The ultimate configuration of "Phase One"—the initial segment extending south from Exposition Boulevard to LAX—shaped the manner in which Phase Two would be integrated. The initially preferred local alternative (LPA) proposed an at-grade station at the Expo/Crenshaw terminus of Phase One, with the Leimert Park tunnel concluding near 39th Street. Constructing Phase Two according to this LPA would have entailed creating a new tunnel connection close to 39th Street, requiring knockout panels within the Leimert Park tunnel to facilitate future expansion.

Metro also evaluated "Design Option 6," which extended the Leimert Park tunnel northward to the line’s northern endpoint at Exposition, featuring an underground Crenshaw/Exposition station. This design was chosen to allow a seamless direct connection for Phase Two at Crenshaw/Exposition, though it increased Phase One’s cost by $236 million.

Suggested alignments

In July 2018, Metro unveiled preliminary rail concepts and alternatives for the corridor, developed in partnership with AECOM.

Preliminary alternatives evaluation

The concepts presented in July 2018 included five light rail route options. The "Vermont Route" was eliminated in October 2019 following public input, while a hybrid San Vicente alternative was introduced. On August 17, 2020, Metro put forward three preferred alignments for environmental review and conceptual design. Each of these routes runs generally from south to north:

DEIR Alternative	Description	Daily New Trips	Projected Cost (in billions)
1: San Vicente Hybrid Alternative	Extends underground northward from Expo/Crenshaw station, then shifts northwest beneath San Vicente Boulevard. It continues north under Fairfax Avenue for approximately one mile, proceeds west beneath Beverly Boulevard near The Grove for another mile, then heads north beneath San Vicente at Beverly Center Mall for an additional mile. Finally, it turns east beneath Santa Monica Boulevard through West Hollywood to terminate either at Hollywood/Highland station or an optional Hollywood Bowl station. This option was added late in 2019 to provide direct service access to prominent employment and tourist destinations.	90,000	5.5
2: Fairfax Alternative	Runs underground north from Expo/Crenshaw station, veering northwest under San Vicente Boulevard before continuing north below Fairfax Avenue through Central Los Angeles toward West Hollywood. It then turns east beneath Santa Monica Boulevard heading to Hollywood/Highland or the Hollywood Bowl station.	88,700	4.7
3: La Brea Alternative	Proceeds underground northward from Expo/Crenshaw station, shifting northwest under San Vicente Boulevard and then continuing north beneath La Brea Avenue through Central Los Angeles toward West Hollywood. It turns east under Santa Monica Boulevard toward Hollywood/Highland or Hollywood Bowl station.	87,200	3.0

The table below details possible stations along each alternative route:

Station Options (North to South)	Alt 1: San Vicente Hybrid	Alt 2: Fairfax	Alt 3: La Brea	Connecting Rail Services	Notes
Hollywood Bowl (Optional)	✓	✓	✓		Added due to community feedback; provides direct access to Hollywood Bowl.
Hollywood/Highland	✓	✓	✓	Template:LACMTA icon	Serves Hollywood Boulevard Entertainment District and Dolby Theatre.
La Brea/Santa Monica	✓	✓	✓		Close to West Hollywood Gateway shopping and major studios such as The Lot and Jim Henson Company Lot.
Fairfax/Santa Monica	✓	✓	–		Located within West Hollywood area.
San Vicente/Santa Monica	✓	–	–		Serves West Hollywood Rainbow District, Pacific Design Center, and The Troubadour venue.
La Cienega/Beverly	✓	–	–		Provides access to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Center, and Melrose Avenue shopping district.
Fairfax/3rd	✓	✓	–		Near The Grove at Farmers Market, Television City, and Holocaust Museum LA.
La Brea/Beverly	–	–	✓		Situated in a high-density residential neighborhood.

Advocacy

In May 2018, the city council passed a resolution aimed at fast-tracking the environmental review, thereby speeding up Metro's approval timeline. Metro dedicated $500,000 in its 2018 budget to begin the preliminary environmental study for the extension initiative. Community members established "West Hollywood Advocates for Metro Rail" to champion the introduction of a light rail or rapid transit route along Santa Monica Boulevard. Prominent figures such as former Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson and U.S. Representative (currently Senator) Adam Schiff expressed their support for expediting the project, encouraging Metro officials to make its advancement a priority.