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The Metro D Line, also known as the Purple Line, will open again on Saturday after a 70-day closure for construction in the first phase of the railway expansion project under Wilshire Boulevard.
The first phase of the expansion project will connect downtown Los Angeles with the West Side, with the addition of three stations to Wilshire/Lovere, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/Lasiere Nega on a budget of $3.7 billion.
According to Metro, that phase is 98% complete and is expected to open later in 2025. Station finishing, street restoration and testing remained.
During the recent closures, transport worked to connect communication and power systems between existing lines and new sections. Transportation said trucks were laid, lighting was installed and tunneling of that section was completed.
“Now, our staff and contractors work 24/7 to connect old parts of the subway to the latest sections… Make sure all power systems, train control, ventilation and signaling act and function as all common and safe systems.”
The route between downtown Los Angeles and Koreatown is most frequently used on metros, with an average of over 65,000 boarding daily. The project, which adds seven stations and expands on-line services to Hancock Park, Century City, Beverly Hills and Westwood, broke the ground more than a decade ago. Metro’s goal is to close at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“We are currently on a schedule to launch this game-changing subway expansion project,” Dutra says.
The second phase will include the Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City/Constellation Station, which are scheduled to open in 2026. The final section, which adds Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA hospital stations, will be slotted for 2027 opening.
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said the Metro closure has contributed to Metro’s recent decline in ridership. This is a 13.5% drop from May amid ongoing immigration raids across Los Angeles County, Metro data shows. The decline in boarding in June was the lowest for transport since 2022, with June being recorded in the lowest in June.
During the closure, riders relied on extended B-line services, which shared D-line stops from Union Station to Wilshire/Vermont and Koreatown shuttle services.
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