In a moment of rare public transit fanfare, Los Angeles on Friday celebrated the long-awaited opening of a major subway expansion along Wilshire Boulevard that connects Beverly Hills to downtown.
The three new Metro stops that open Friday — Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega — mark the first phase of a much-anticipated rail line running under L.A.’s most iconic and bustling boulevard, a route long considered key for the city’s public transit. The new stations offer easy rail access to several L.A. landmarks such as the newly reimagined Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Academy Museum, and stopping only a few blocks from the Grove and the Beverly Center.
“This is a milestone for the future of L.A.,” said Fernando Dutra, chair of the L.A. Metro Board of Directors. “I’m immensely proud to reinvent the public transportation of Los Angeles.”
Despite the celebratory spirit surrounding the opening Friday morning, Dutra acknowledged how long it took to bring this project to fruition.
More than six decades ago, California leaders started working toward a rail line that would run below Wilshire, but the efforts struggled to gain momentum due to major funding shortfalls, political battles, neighborhood opposition and engineering concerns.
Perhaps that’s why Friday felt so monumental.
“Today we celebrate progress, partnership, and something Angeleno’s deserve: a city easier to move through and easier to connect in and built for the future,” Mayor Karen Bass said at the Friday morning celebration. “It makes our very huge city a lot smaller and more connected.”
The three new stops of the D Line extension make up about 4 miles of the $9.7-billion project, which will eventually run nine miles west, ending in Westwood, near the UCLA campus. The next two phases of the project, which include a total of four new stops, are scheduled to be completed in 2027.
It’s part of larger Southern California rail expansion, aimed at creating a viable grid of public transit that connects L.A.’s sprawling communities, aiming to finish in time to serve visitors to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
While transit experts expect that the high-density area and ultra-popular destinations along the D line extension will immediately draw in riders, it is yet to be seen if high numbers of Angelenos are ready ditch their cars for a ride on the subway.
Metro officials estimate the rail will typically be faster than driving, with a ride from Union Station to Wilshire/La Cienega taking 21 minutes, while driving can typically take about 45 minutes.
Many potential riders who spoke with The Times this week said they were excited to try the new line, but often mentioned feeling cautious about potentially long waits at night and ongoing concerns about public safety, among other reservations. Metro has worked to improve policing across its network, and has prioritized additional safeguards, such as its ambassador program, with some real success.
D Line trains are scheduled to run from 4 a.m to approximately 12:30 a.m. each day, arriving every 10 minutes during most of the day and every 20 minutes during late night hours, which begin around 9 p.m., according to Metro officials.
Staff writer Jenny Jarvie contributed to this report.
