Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority unanimously approved a route for the northern extension of the K Line light rail project March 26, advancing the 9.7-mile San Vicente-Fairfax alignment and pledging to address concerns from Mid-City residents without delaying the project.
Transit officials described the local preferred alignment as a game-changer that will move forward a project that aims to connect communities, reduce commute times and improve access to employment, housing and cultural institutions.
The matter was approved after an hour-and-a-half of public comment, and with more than 900 people registered to provide comment.
“This is a transformational moment for Los Angeles,” County Supervisor and MTA board member Lindsey Horvath said in a statement. “Today’s approval of the K Line Northern Extension San Vicente-Fairfax alignment will finally connect communities and make it possible to travel from LAX to the Hollywood Bowl on one line.”
The K Line already connects the South Bay to Inglewood and LAX, with the project seeking to extend the rail from Expo/Crenshaw through Crenshaw, Mid-City and the Fairfax District to West Hollywood, Hollywood and a final stop at the Hollywood Bowl. A total of 10 stations would be built under this proposal, reaching destinations such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Pacific Design Center and the Grove.
This alignment would link to four other major rail lines — including the under-construction D (Purple) Line — and six of the region’s busiest bus lanes, according to the MTA.
The board’s decision is part of the planning process initiated under an early project delivery framework for future planning, funding and coordination purposes. It is not a final approval of the project.
MTA staff have estimated this alignment cost is closer to $15 billion. The project was approved following heavy lobbying by the city of West Hollywood, which committed to fund 25% of capital costs through a so-called Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District. City officials say they would provide approximately $2.25 billion for the project.
“I’m thrilled that the Metro Board has voted affirmatively to move forward with the K Line Northern Extension” said Mayor John Heilman in a statement. “The San Vicente-Fairfax alignment will serve the greatest number of people and connect with key east-west transit lines. It will be truly transformative for West Hollywood and communities across Los Angeles County.”
West Hollywood’s financial support will accelerate the project, with construction anticipated to begin in 2029. Without the city’s backing, MTA staff said construction would start in 2041, with a target opening between 2047 and 2049.
The MTA board previously considered a second proposed alignment, called Fairfax, which was a 7.9-mile route with seven stations, and a third option, called La Brea, a 6.2-mile route with six stations.
The project has been opposed by some residents of the Mid-City historic residential neighborhoods, including Lafayette Square and Wellington Square. They have expressed concerns about noise and vibration due to future tunnel construction activities, a lack of engagement, safety of tunnels below older homes and impacts to property values and businesses.
County Supervisor and MTA board member Holly Mitchell recused herself from vote, as did Metro board member Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, because they have financial stakes related to the project. They both own properties in or nearby Lafayette Square, where tunneling of the project would occur.
Though the two recused, there had been allegations that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, also an MTA board member, and Dupont-Walker had been lobbying their colleagues behind closed doors to delay the project via a motion, calling for more studies.
Bass denied those allegations during the public meeting. She did introduce an amendment, which was approved by her colleagues, that requested MTA staff to further engage with residents in the impacted communities.
“Mid-City neighbors will receive additional independent technical review,” Bass said. “West Hollywood will have a firm cap no more than 12 months of additional work after the [Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District] is established, and let me be clear, within 12 months of the EIFD establishment, the route will be finalized and work will resume.”
MTA staff confirmed the amendment will not delay the project nor jeopardize West Hollywood’s plan to create its Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District.
The amendment was created in collaboration between Bass, Horvath and Heilman.
“This amendment delivers both urgency and certainty,” Horvath said in a statement. “With the leadership of Mayor Bass and Mayor Heilman, we are investing intentionally in connection, community and opportunity, while answering the fierce urgency of a rising generation counting on us to get this right — and get the K Line North done now.”
The MTA staff already reduced the project’s impact by selecting a tunneling path that would affect 22 homeowners versus what could have been more than 140 homeowners.
About 18 months ago — at the request of Bass and Mitchell — the agency conducted more studies around impacts to homes in these areas, costing an additional $2.3 million.
The analysis found that modern tunneling techniques are safe with pre-construction studies, use of advanced tunnel-boring machines, mitigations and monitoring. Tunnels are proposed at depths of 40 to 120 feet below the surface in the project area, and 80 to 120 feet below Mid-City — depths in which noise and vibration are estimated to be below the threshold of damage to structures and human perception, according to the MTA.
Agency officials said similar tunneling has been completed in comparable ground conditions and at similar depths without damage to buildings. Staff added that tunnel easements would not affect properties, historic status, zoning, underground mineral rights or property values.
Mid-City residents have also criticized the project for potentially eliminating a grocery store in the area. The MTA has pledged to relocate the businesses before construction begins.
The K Line Northern Extension is expected to serve approximately 100,000 riders each day, connect 125,000 jobs within walking distance of stations and serve more than 325,000 residents who rely on transit.
In addition to improving mobility, the project is projected to create more than 10,000 union construction jobs, generate $9.7 billion in union wages and generate over $22 billion in economic activity for Los Angeles County, according to the MTA.
With sections 2 and 3 of the alignment approved, West Hollywood will begin the process of establishing an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District — with a vote expected in April.
