Full Breakdown
Los Angeles Metro D Line Extension Opens First Phase After Six Decades
5/9/2026, 12:01:09 AM
Opening of the First Phase
Metro opened the first phase of the D Line extension on Friday, adding 3.92 mi of underground rail and three stations—Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega—along Wilshire Boulevard. The $3.5 bn segment links Koreatown to the Westside, realizing a 1962 plan.
Background & Timeline
Governor Edmund G. Brown’s 1962 “Backbone Route” proposal began a 65-year effort. Funding in 1980 and 2008 was delayed by a 1985 Fairfax methane blast, prompting a 20-year federal tunneling ban. A 2005 safety panel cleared the route, and Congress lifted the ban in 2006-07, allowing construction that led to the 2026 opening. A nine-mile extension to Westwood is planned for fall 2027.
Data & Statistics
The full extension is budgeted at $9.7 bn; the first phase cost >$3.5 bn, funded mainly by Measure R. Travel time from Union Station to Wilshire/La Cienega falls from up to 45 min by car to about 21 min by car and roughly 20 min by train. Construction uncovered fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits and tar-sand near Fairfax.
Impact & Official Statements
Metro calls the opening a historic leap that bridges the east-west divide and creates a rail backbone. Program manager Tim Lindholm said the project finally breaks the divide; CEO Stephanie Wiggins noted expanded access to Wilshire’s cultural sites and reduced car dependence.
Criticism & Opposition
Former County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky warned that spending billions on a subway under a low-ridership corridor could be a colossal mistake and criticized local governments for protecting permit authority, a concern echoed by analyst Ethan Elkind. Early opposition followed the 1985 methane explosion, leading Rep. Henry Waxman to seek a federal funding ban.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Volunteer Auguste Miller called the line a critical piece of transit infrastructure for a transit desert. Union carpenter Jenna Dorrough said building the stations gave her purpose. Brewery owner Bobby Downs announced a special brew, noting the Metro will benefit the neighborhood.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s been 65 years, but it’s finally opening, and it will be a high ridership, high capacity line.” — Ethan Elkind, transit analyst
- “To spend billions of dollars to build a subway under a street that has no ridership would have been a colossal mistake,” — Zev Yaroslavsky, former County supervisor
- “I think it's going to be a critical piece of the transit infrastructure going forward in L.A. and a game changer for those in somewhat of a transit desert,” — Auguste Miller, Streets for All volunteer
- “The Fairfax station is actually the first in L.A. Metro history [that] we successfully excavated this tar sand,” — John Yen, vice president of operations, Skanska
What’s Next
Metro plans two more phases extending the D Line through Beverly Hills and Century City to Westwood before the 2028 Olympics. The northern K Line extension and Sepulveda Transit Corridor will intersect the D Line, completing a regional rail network.
