The proposed Northern Extension of the Metro K Line (formerly the Crenshaw/LAX Line) would provide new rail connections to, from, and through West Hollywood and enhance the existing Metro regional rail network. The City-led Rail Integration Study (RIS) is intended to ensure that future rail service is integrated thoughtfully into West Hollywood while supporting sustainability goals and community expectations. This phase of the study is focused on access to and from each potential station area in West Hollywood, improving multimodal transportation, and providing safe routes to the stations as we work towards an effective transit infrastructure that maximizes future ridership and use.

The K Line Northern Extension Project

On October 7, 2022, the Metro K Line opened to the public, extending from the E Line at Expo/Crenshaw Station to the Crenshaw Corridor and Inglewood, with two more stations connecting to El Segundo and the upcoming LAX Airport People Mover and Metro C Line opening next year. The Northern Extension of the K line would bring the line through Mid-City, West Hollywood, and Hollywood to the Metro B Line, resulting in 5-10 new stations and 6.3-9.9 miles of new track, depending on which route is ultimately selected.

What is First/Last Mile?

Image Source: Metro

First/Last Mile (FLM) Planning is performed on all of Metro’s proposed rail and bus rapid transit corridors. Potential pedestrian and wheeled projects are identified for each station through analysis that considers technical data, walk audits, and community input on improvements needed. The study area encompasses up to one half-mile walking and three miles for longer wheel trips (cyclists, scooters, etc.) from each station platform. Metro describes FLM as:

“For transit riders, bus and rail services often form the core of a trip, but riders complete the first and last portion on their own using another mode. Typically, they must first use “active transportation” —walking, biking or rolling—to reach the nearest station from their home or workplace. This is referred to as the first and last mile of the user’s trip, or first/last mile (FLM) for short.”