Global construction and development firm Skanska, along with its joint venture partners, Traylor Brothers, Inc. and J.F. Shea Construction, celebrated the opening of Section 1 of the LA Metro Purple (D) Line Extension on May 8, 2026.

The Skanska Traylor Shea joint venture joined the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), civic leaders, project partners and community stakeholders to celebrate the opening of the new underground transit extension serving communities along the Wilshire Corridor, and the wider region.

Section 1 extends subway service west from the existing Wilshire/Western station through three new underground stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega. As the first segment of LA Metro's broader expansion to Westwood, the project improves connectivity across one of the region's most heavily traveled corridors while providing a faster and more reliable alternative to driving.

"After more than a decade of construction, this project stands as a reflection of sustained effort, collaboration and innovation across an exceptional team of engineers, craft professionals and project partners," said Geoffrey Bender, project executive of operations at Skanska USA Civil. "Delivering complex underground infrastructure beneath one of Los Angeles' most active corridors required persistence, adaptability and precision at every stage. We are deeply grateful to our crews and JV partners whose expertise made this milestone possible, and proud of the innovations and lessons learned along the way that will continue to shape how we deliver major transit projects in the future."

Awarded in 2014, the $2.4 billion project included:

• construction of twin subway tunnels beneath Wilshire Boulevard;

• deep excavation and structural construction of three underground stations;

• coordination of complex underground utility infrastructure; and

• systems integration support for signaling, communications and traction power infrastructure.

Construction required continuous coordination within one of Los Angeles' busiest urban corridors, where crews worked around sewer, electrical, gas, water and telecommunications systems beneath Wilshire Boulevard. Variable subsurface conditions, groundwater and tar sand formations required advanced geotechnical monitoring and adaptive tunneling methods throughout construction

Key construction innovations and project features included:

• use of earth pressure balance tunnel boring machines designed for soft ground and pressurized excavation conditions;

• installation of precast concrete tunnel liners immediately behind tunneling operations to form the permanent tunnel structure;

• deployment of conveyor systems to continuously remove excavated material while minimizing surface disruption; and

• continuous gas monitoring and underground safety systems to support worker safety throughout tunneling and excavation activities.

The project also incorporated sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impacts. Skanska deployed zero-emission construction equipment on the project, including the Volvo EC230 Electric excavator and the battery-powered HAMM HD 12e VV, while groundwater treatment systems supported responsible water management throughout construction.

Excavation activities uncovered more than 500 Ice Age fossils, including mammoths, bison, horses and giant ground sloths. Many of the discoveries were preserved and to be seen at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the La Brea Tar Pits for scientific study and curation.