Metro’s tunneling machine named Soyeon has passed the Wilshire/Fairfax Station and is currently excavating toward Beverly Hills. (photo courtesy of Metro)

Stay up to date on Purple Line Extension subway construction in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles during a webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 5, from noon to 1 p.m. Updates will be provided on all three phases of the Metro project from Wil-shire/Western to Westwood. It includes work occurring at the Wilshire/La Cienega and Wil-shire/Rodeo subway stations in Beverly Hills, and the Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Brea subway stations in Los Angeles. To listen by phone, which excludes participating in the Q&A session, call (213)279-1001 and use the Conference ID: 461 029 586#. For information and to register to participate in the webinar, visit metro.net/projects/notices/events_purpleline.

Metro has also posted a video on thesource.metro.net highlighting progress being made on the Purple Line Extension, which is also known as the D Line in Metro’s new alphabetic naming system. While a majority of footage was filmed prior to the implementation of safer at home orders, the video outlines expedited work including piling and decking in Beverly Hills, which was made possible by a closure of Wilshire Boulevard when there was less traffic due to the public health emergency.

Work continues at many locations along the route. At the future Wilshire/Rodeo station, crews are working at the entrance and within the station box construction staging area. Excavation will continue 24 hours underneath Wilshire Boulevard through the first quarter of 2021. Instruments are being installed along the tunnel alignment and around the station box to monitor ground movement, settlement and other geological impacts.

At Wilshire/La Cienega and Wilshire/Gale, station construction, material deliveries and instrumentation continues in the staging yards. Gale Drive will be intermittently closed at Wilshire Boulevard. A permanent K-rail enclosure is in place to support ongoing construction underneath Wilshire Boulevard. Additional intermittent lane reductions west of the enclosure may be in place during off-peak hours.

Wilshire Boulevard may be intermittently reduced to two lanes in each direction between La Cienega Boulevard and Gale Drive. Intermittent directional bump-outs may also be used, reducing Wilshire Boulevard to a single lane. Through July 25, eastbound Wilshire Boulevard may be reduced to a single lane between La Cienega and San Vicente boulevards to support ongoing station construction.

Utility and tunnel investigation work is also ongoing near Wilshire Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue. Through Aug, 14, Wilshire Boulevard will be reduced to two lanes in each direction between San Diego Way and La Jolla Avenue. Two K-rail enclosures have been installed in the Wilshire/Crescent Heights area.

Station construction, hauling and concrete pouring continues near the Wilshire/Fairfax station. Ogden Drive will be closed intermittently Monday through Saturday at Wilshire Boulevard. Orange Grove Avenue remains closed south of Wilshire Boulevard through January 2022. Intermittent lane closures may be in place to support deck panel maintenance and soil investigation in the Wilshire/Fairfax station area.

Hauling, deliveries and tunneling support is ongoing near Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Sycamore. Intermittent daily lane closures along Wilshire Boulevard and side streets between Highland Avenue and Detroit Street may be necessary to support construction. Crews are supporting underground work from enclosures in the street. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Material deliveries and underground construction support continue at a work zone in the center of Wilshire Boulevard just west of Rimpau Boulevard. Wilshire Boulevard has been reduced to two lanes in each direction between June Street and Muirfield Road. The work zone will be in place through early 2020 to support concrete pouring underground in the subway tunnels.

Tunneling support and street maintenance work is ongoing near Wilshire/Western, the current terminus of the Purple Line. Work is occurring 24-hours at a staging yard just west of the intersection of 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 through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Access to businesses will be maintained. Intermittent single-lane closures may also occur on Wilshire Boulevard between Western Avenue and Manhattan Place. Southbound Oxford Avenue will be intermittently reduced to a single lane from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

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.