The D Line Extension: Finally More Stops on the Metro are Ready

Growing up in the Westside in the 80’s and 90’s, I spent countless hours skateboarding and playing pickup basketball wherever I could get to. Back then, the idea of hopping on a light rail or subway would have been mind-blowing for my 15-year-old self, especially after I’d already explored every spot the local Big Blue Bus and RTD lines had to offer.

With that said the anticipation in Los Angeles for the D Line is there. After a decade of digging, delays and traffic jams on Wilshire, Metro’s D Line subway extension is finally here. For a city famous for 5 minute waits on left turns to get onto Wilshire, the arrival of three new underground stations along Wilshire Boulevard marks more than just a transit milestone; it’s a bet on L.A.’s future.

A Journey Decades in the Making

The D Line (formerly the Purple Line) has long served as a crucial artery, running beneath the city from K-Town to Downtown. But for years, the vision was always bigger: push west, connect more neighborhoods, and provide a legitimate alternative to gridlock. As reported by Streetsblog LA, the extension’s first four-mile segment from Wilshire/Western to La Cienega/Wilshire is set to open this month in March 2026, adding stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega.

“The project improves access to jobs, schools, medical centers, and cultural destinations while providing a faster, more reliable alternative to driving.” Metro.net notes that the extension is happening in three sections, ultimately stretching nearly nine miles to Westwood and the VA Hospital—just in time for the 2028 Olympics.

Tunneling Through Obstacles—Literal and Political

The journey hasn’t been smooth. Of course, plans for a Wilshire subway date back to the 1980s, but opposition, funding battles, and even a methane explosion in the Fairfax District delayed progress for decades. Lawsuits from Beverly Hills residents over tunneling under the high school added more drama. Only recently did Metro win the legal battles and push through the engineering hurdles—sometimes, with crews painstakingly removing metal beams by hand to keep the tunnel boring machines moving.

Growing up in the 1980’s we always heard about different light rail lines in the past getting disbanded and their tracks removed decades ago, and it made no sense to us at the time.  And, then we’d learn that some neighborhoods and HOA’s would be against it which was confusing because many other great cities such as New York and London had amazing public transportation systems.  But, aren’t we a great city too? 

But, cost overruns have been a recurring theme: the first section alone has seen its budget balloon to $3.51 billion after several board-approved increases. Yet, the finish line is finally in sight. As Metro’s Tim Lindholm told the Metro Board, there’s still “a great deal of testing to complete,” but the opening is now a matter of months, not years.

What’s at Stake: More Business and Mobility

Why does this project matter? For one, Wilshire Boulevard is among the busiest corridors in the region. The new subway promises to make trips between Koreatown, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, and beyond, “faster and more reliable,” as Metro puts it. The extension will also support more sustainable travel choices, helping L.A. meet its climate goals and reduce its notorious traffic jams.

But there’s a human side, too. Local businesses and Museum Row along the construction route have weathered years of disruption, and Metro has set up programs to help them bounce back. “We’re excited about the new D Line stops on Wilshire and expect it’ll make getting to our office easier for patients coming from the west,” says Mid Wilshire Dentistry, located on Wilshire near Western.   

The new stations will be fully ADA-accessible and feature public art, reflecting a commitment to both utility and community vibrancy.

Looking Ahead

With the finish line in sight, the D Line extension feels less like a pipe dream and more like a promise kept—albeit a costly one. As L.A. prepares for the World Cup and Olympics and a new era of mobility, the subway’s westward push stands as a testament to what’s possible when a city digs deep, literally and figuratively, to connect its communities.