Twin tunneling machines named Harriet and Ruth, shown when they reached the Wilshire/Rodeo subway station last year, have now completed the tunnels in Beverly Hills. (photo courtesy of Metro)

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that tunneling for the Purple Line Extension subway project under Beverly Hills concluded after twin tunneling machines reached the Wilshire/La Cienega station in mid-January. The machines, named Harriet and Ruth, began excavating the tunnels between the Century City/Constellation and Wilshire/La Cienega stations on April 30, 2020, heading east from Century City. They excavated an average of 35 feet of soil per day, Metro spokesman Patrick Chandler said.

The segment of the subway under Beverly Hills is section two of the Purple Line Extension project. Tunneling on section one of the project between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega was completed in 2021, and tunneling is ongoing on section three of the subway between Century City and the Westwood/VA Hospital station. Section one of the Purple Line Extension is expected to open at the end of 2024. Section two is anticipated to open in 2025 and section three will open in 2027.

Crews are starting concrete work in the tunnels to support the tracks. The tunneling machines will be disassembled and removed at the Century City/Constellation station, where they began their journey, Chandler said.