Purple Line Tunneling Completed Between Century City and Wilshire/Rodeo

By TBM Staff February 4, 2022

Photo: LA Metro

Both tunnel boring machines (TBMs) working on Section 2 of the Purple (D Line) Extension project have now excavated tunnels between Century City and the Wilshire/Rodeo station under downtown Beverly Hills.

In early February, the TBMs are anticipated to start digging the tunnels between Wilshire/Rodeo and Wilshire/La Cienega stations. The tunnels on 3.9-mile Section 1 of the project — between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega — were completed in 2021.

Overall, this vital project is advancing nicely. Construction is also underway on Section 3 of the project between Century City and the Westwood VA Hospital — including a key station at Wilshire and Westwood boulevards that will provide access to Westwood Village and the UCLA campus.

The two Section 2 TBMs — named Ruth and Harriet — began digging at Century City on April 30, 2020, and traveled to the east. Both TBMs excavated for 5,811 ft (or about 1.1 miles) between Century City and the Wilshire/Rodeo station. The first TBM, Harriet, reached Wilshire/Rodeo on Jan. 11. The second TBM, Ruth, made it to the station box on Jan. 28.

The Purple (D Line) Extension project is extending Metro’s D Line subway from its current terminus at Wilshire/Western for nine miles to the Westwood VA Hospital in Westwood. The project is funded mostly by Measure R, Measure M and federal grants. Section 1 is forecast to open in 2024, Section 2 in 2025 and Section 3 in 2027. Travel time between Westwood and downtown L.A. is expected to take about 25 minutes.

Source: LA Metro