Los Angeles Metro restarts service on D Line Subway, preceding the finishing touches on Phase 1 of the D Line Subway Extension Project.
The D Line Subway Extension Project, a significant expansion of Los Angeles's public transportation system, is nearing completion. The project, which began in 2014, is being constructed by a joint venture among Skanska, Traylor Brothers, and Shea Construction.
The first phase of the project, expected to open this fall, will extend the D Line from Wilshire/Western Station through the Miracle Mile area, adding three new stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega. This phase is approximately 98% complete.
Over the past few months, various parts of the D Line system have been rigorously tested. This includes air quality, ventilation, train control, and train testing, with both the existing A650 trains and the new HR4000s trains undergoing testing. Water-filled containers simulating passenger weight were used during these tests.
Crossovers, approximately 300 feet long, have been installed at Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/La Cienega stations for train movement in case of emergencies. The computer systems regulating air quality, ventilation, and other aspects of the underground subway environment have also been connected.
The D Line Subway Extension Project is the longest tunneling project through tar-infested sands ever in the U.S., presenting unique challenges during construction. Despite these challenges, the project has progressed smoothly, and the L.A. Metro reopened the Purple (D Line) Subway on July 26, 2021, following a 70-day closure for work at Wilshire/Western Station to connect it to the future D Line Subway Extension.
The future phases of the D Line Subway Extension Project, which will bring the D Line to Century City and then Westwood, are anticipated to open in 2026 and 2027, respectively. These phases are part of a larger extension planned to continue through Beverly Hills and Westwood, with additional phases opening in subsequent years ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Automatic Train Control has been installed on the D Line system, allowing the agency to track train positions and directions. The D Line trains currently run every 12 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
[1] Los Angeles Metro Website: https://www.metro.net/projects/dlineext/ [2] Curbed LA: https://la.curbed.com/2021/8/23/22641447/d-line-extension-wilshire-la-brea-la-cienega-stations [3] LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-08-25/d-line-extension-stations-la-brea-fairfax-la-cienega-la-metro [4] LAist: https://laist.com/news/transportation/d-line-extension-stations-la-brea-fairfax-la-cienega-la-metro
- The D Line Subway Extension Project, an significant infrastructure development in the transportation industry, is a public-transit expansion in Los Angeles, funded by a combination of private finance and government budgets.
- The completed first phase of the D Line Subway Extension Project, set to open this fall, will extend the current transit line through tar-infested sands, adding three new stations as part of the broader transportation network.
- As the D Line Subway Extension Project progresses, future phases are planned to integrate Century City, Westwood, and beyond, reaching their destinations in 2026 and 2027, with subsequent phases opening prior to the 2028 Olympics.
