An update on the LA Metro Purple Line from The Four Foot...
The purple or D line as it’s now officially known was opened in 1996 as a short 2 station branch of the Metro Red line. Known as the Wilshire branch, it wasn’t branded as the Purple line until 2006, and finally it was designated the D line in 2019 as part of a system-wide renaming scheme.
The purple line extension is being built in 3 phases, all of which are currently under construction. The 3 phases will open between 2024 and 2027. The first section of the project includes 3 new stations and stretches 3.9 miles or 6.3 kilometers from the current terminus at Wilshire and Western to Wilshire and La Cienega boulevard. The tunnels for this section are being mined from the Wilshire and La Brea station. The second section of the project will add 2 new stations, one in Beverly Hills and one in Century City. Section 2 is 2.6 miles or 4.2 kilometers and is being mined from the Century City/Constellation station.
This section is scheduled to open in 2025. Section 3 only began construction in 2019, but it is scheduled to open in 2027. It will add an additional 2 stations at Wilshire and Westwood and the Westwood Veterans Administration hospital. Section 3 is 2.56 miles or 4.1 kilometers long and is being mined from the VA hospital station.
Section 1 of this project is being funded by the Measure R half cent sales tax passed in 2008 and a federal grant. Sections 2 and 3 are being funded by Measure M, which extended the half cent tax in 2016, as well as two other federal grants. So with all of the gritty details out of the way, let’s take a look at the future line.
https://tnc.network/new-wilshire-grand-center/
Valley Metro South Central Extension/Downtown Hub receives $530 million federal grant
Rod Washington Writer, filmmaker, model railroader, dreamer, posting videos and articles about trains. Also, posting railfanning videos and updates about his own model railroad layout via his webpage, the rail project (coming soon).
