Metro is holding a free community event celebrating the Purple Line Extension subway construction project reaching the halfway point to La Cienega Boulevard on Sunday, June 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Great Lawn at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd.

Work is progressing in the construction staging yards at Wilshire/La Brea, where twin tunneling machines will begin digging west toward Beverly Hills and Century City. (photo courtesy of Metro)

Phase 1 of the subway project extends 3.92 miles from Western Avenue to La Cienega Boulevard and is anticipated to open in 2023. The celebration will include family activities, food, games, raffles and live entertainment.

Metro is also holding a meeting on Phase 2 of subway construction through Beverly Hills to Century City on Wednesday, June 5, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Second Floor Municipal Gallery at Beverly Hills City Hall, 445 N. Rexford Drive. Phase 2 will extend the line 2.59 miles and is anticipated to open in 2025.

The meeting will focus on ongoing construction at the Wilshire/La Cienega and Wilshire/Rodeo stations, including excavation, utility potholing and sewer line replacement, piling and decking, and a closure on North Canon Drive. Free parking is available after 5 p.m. in the Civic Center Garage, 9300 Civic Center Drive.

Work is occurring at many other locations along the route. Excavation, concrete and street maintenance work are occurring near Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue. Northbound Manhattan Place will be closed intermittently just north of Wilshire Boulevard from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday to Sunday, and intermittent lane closures along Wilshire Boulevard may be necessary. Work is expected to increase to 24-hours-a-day at the Western Avenue Staging Yard in June when twin tunnel boring machines are expected to reach the subway line’s current terminus.

Hauling, deliveries and tunnel support is also ongoing near Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, and from a work zone in the center of Wilshire Boulevard east of Sycamore Avenue. Wilshire Boulevard will be intermittently reduced to one lane in both directions between Sycamore and Mansfield avenues for deliveries.

Excavation and hauling are also ongoing near Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, and around the future subway station site at Wilshire Boulevard and Ogden Drive. Ogden Drive will be closed intermittently at Wilshire Boulevard from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Intermittent lane closures may also be necessary to support deck panel maintenance and concrete pouring in the area.

For questions and concerns, call the 24-hour project hotline at (213)922-6934, email the project team at purplelineext@metro.net or visit metro.net.