L.A. Metro, Sound Transit wrapping up rail extension projects
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) and Sound Transit are entering the final phases of rail extension projects.
L.A. Metro nears completion of Phase 1 of D Line Subway Extension Project
L.A. Metro is nearing completion of Phase 1 of the Purple (D Line) Subway Extension Project that will change the subway extension beneath Wilshire Boulevard, connecting downtown Los Angeles with some of the most significant areas of the Westside. The project officially broke ground in 2014 and Phase 1, which features three new stations (Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega), is projected to open by the end of 2025. L.A. Metro notes sections 2 to Century City and 3 to Westwood/VA Hospital are anticipated to open during the second halves of 2026 and 2027, respectively.
The agency says section 1 of the new subway is getting ready for primetime. The tunneling is complete, the tracks have been laid, the lighting is in and the artworks are being installed. The third rail has also been installed, which will power the new subway cars.
According to the agency, crews will begin connecting communication and power systems between the existing D Line and the new, soon-to-be opened section 1. L.A. Metro notes the subway is monitored by complex computer systems that regulate everything from air quality to ventilation to the emergency sprinklers. To link the systems, L.A. Metro will temporarily close the D Line starting at the beginning of service on May 17 and continuing through the end of service on July 25.
Sound Transit to begin testing Link 1 Line connections
On May 19, Sound Transit will end service on the Link 1 Line service at 10:00 p.m. at the Angle Lake Station on weeknights, so crews can undertake testing of the systems connecting the existing 1 Line into the Federal Way Link Extension, which is scheduled to open in 2026.
Sound Transit notes there will be no Link service between the Angle Lake and SeaTac/Airport stations on weekday evenings after 10:00 p.m. On those evenings, passengers will need to board the Rapid Ride A Line on International Boulevard at Angle Lake or SeaTac/Airport stations. The Angle Lake garage will remain open for transit users, and the station will open at its regular 4:00 a.m. weekday time. The weeknight disruption could continue for up to four weeks, through the week of June 9.
Brandon Lewis | Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.
