July 1, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Metro Purple Line extension project breaks ground on Wilshire Boulevard

Federal, state and local officials at the Metro Purple Line extension project's groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.
Federal, state and local officials at the Metro Purple Line extension project’s groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. Photo by Brenton Garen

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday morning for the Metro Purple Line Extension Project with leaders of the L.A. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) joining federal, state, and local elected leaders for the major milestone.

Dignitaries included U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein; Congressman Henry Waxman and Congresswoman Karen Bass; Federal Transit Administration acting administrator Therese McMillian; Assemblyman Richard Bloom, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti; L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer; L.A. County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas; L.A. councilmen Mike Bonin, Paul Koretz, and Tom LaBonge; and Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor, among others.

The ceremony, held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, comes after Metro’s Board of Directors in July approved a contract with Skanska, Traylor and Shea (STS), a Joint Venture, to construct the transportation project.

The first subway segment will extend the Purple Line 3.9 miles from the existing Wilshire/Western Purple Line terminus near Koreatown into Beverly Hills.

The new underground stations are planned at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega.

L.A. Mayor and Metro Board of Directors chair Eric Garcetti said the Purple Line will ease traffic along the congested Wilshire corridor.

“When it comes to infrastructure, L.A. is on the move,” Garcetti said. “We are right now investing $36 billion in our transportation infrastructure to ease congestion and create thousands of jobs. All together this is the largest public works project in the nation. In the car capital of the world, we are looking to reduce traffic and cut air pollution by giving people car-free options to get to work and play.”

The Purple Line extension is partially funded by the 2008 Measure R sales tax that was approved by two-thirds of L.A. County voters. The first segment of the subway is expected to be completed in 2023 with a project budget of $2.821 billion. In addition to this local funding, Metro received a $1.25 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement from the Federal Transit Administration to help pay for the first segment.

The U.S. Department of Transportation also granted Metro a low-interest loan of $856 million from a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to complete the funding package for the project’s first stage.

Combined, these nearly $2 billion in project commitments represent the biggest federal transportation investment for a single construction segment in the history of Los Angeles County.

Zev Yaroslavsky, L.A. County Supervisor and Metro Board Member, said no transit corridor in the region is in greater need of mass rapid transit.

“The area to be served is one of the most dense employment centers in the country and is plagued by some of the worse traffic congestion in the country,” Yaroslavsky said. “This groundbreaking is long overdue and will be well received by people who work and live in the Westside.”

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein said breaking ground on the Purple Line extension was an important step toward completing the key transit option for Angelenos.

“I applaud the efforts of everyone who helped us reach this point, but we have work left to do,” Feinstein said. “The federal government is committed to providing $1.25 billion of the $2.8 billion cost for phase one, but future phases will require an estimated $3.5 billion. I will continue to strongly support federal funding to complete this important transit project.”

The project is planned to be built in three sections.

Section 2, which will include Wilshire/Rodeo and a Century City station, is scheduled for completion in 2026. Section 3, which will include Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, is planned to open in 2035.

When all three sections are complete, the Purple Line will extend from Wilshire/Western for nearly nine miles with a total of seven new stations.

Related Posts

(Video) Los Angeles County Supervisor from the 2nd district, Holly J. Mitchel, Gives a Powerful Speech

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

Supervisor Mitchell Called on Residents to take action at the rally for Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano in Culver City.

Top Military Commander Urges Return of Troops Deployed to ICE Protest Response

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

General Requests 200 National Guard Soldiers Be Returned to California Wildfire Unit The senior U.S. military officer overseeing federal forces...

Second Victim Killed Alongside LAPD Sergeant in Brentwood 405 Crash Identified

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

Authorities Confirm Garcia, 34, Died at the Scene, GoFundMe Launched  Authorities have identified the civilian who was killed alongside a...

The Westside Lights Up for July 4: Fireworks, Drone Shows, and Parades Return Across West Los Angeles

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

From Marina Del Rey’s Fireworks to Culver City’s 1980s-Themed Drone Show, Get Ready to Celebrate From fireworks over Marina del...

California Judge Rules FAIR Plan’s Smoke Damage Policy Unlawful

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

Court Says Wildfire Insurance Program Illegally Denied Claims Legal protections for California homeowners took a step forward this week after...

(Video) Culver City Residents and City and County Leaders Rally for Disappeared Ice Cream Man Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

US Representative for California’s 37th Congressional District, Sydney Kamlager-Dove Speaks About What is happening to the disappeared.

Historic Sawtelle Nursery Site Could Become 40-Unit Townhome Complex

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

Sawtelle Continues to Change as Nursery Site Faces Redevelopment Plans have been submitted to redevelop a nursery site, F.K. Nursery,...

Drake Slashes Price on Beverly Hills Estate to $79 Million Amid Market Slowdown

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

Price Cut Adds to a Broader Retreat From His Los Angeles Real Estate Holdings. Musician Drake has reduced the price...

Iranian Pastor in West L.A. Speaks as Church Rocked by Immigration Raids 

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

Five Detained as Fear Spreads Through Persian Christian Faith Community  Fear has spread through a West Los Angeles congregation after...

Overdose Deaths Drop 22% in Los Angeles County, Marking Largest Decline on Record

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

Fentanyl Fatalities Fell 37% as County Ramps up Funding for Prevention, Treatment Drug overdose deaths in Los Angeles County declined...

Cinespia Brings Fireworks and Fan Favorites to Hollywood Forever This July

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Watch Top Gun, La La Land, and More Under the Stars at Hollywood Forever Cinespia, Los Angeles’ iconic outdoor movie...

California Doubles Down on Hollywood: $750M in Tax Credits Approved for Film and TV Industry

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

State Lawmakers Back Major Expansion of Production Incentives, Raising Job Projections Los Angeles’ film and television industry is poised to...

Pedestrian Killed on 405 Freeway to State Route 90 Connector in Culver City 

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Fatal Crash on Culver City Adds to Growing Safety Concerns Early Friday, a pedestrian died after being struck by a...

EEEEEATSCON Los Angeles Returns with Star Chefs, Firefighter Tribute, and Wildfire Relief Efforts

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Culinary Festival Features Exclusive Restaurant Collabs, Support for Small Businesses  EEEEEATSCON Los Angeles, the celebrated food festival curated by The...

Supporters to Gather This Weekend for Longtime Culver City Paleta Seller Held in Detention

June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

Family and Neighbors Will Gather Sunday to Sell Paletas and Raise Funds Supporters will gather this Sunday at Veterans Park...