Los Angeles Metro K Line

Los Angeles Metro K Line
Name	K Line
Type	Light rail
System	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Start	Aviation/LAX
End	Expo/Crenshaw
Stations	8 (initial segment)
Opened	2022 (initial segment)
Owner	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Character	At-grade, elevated, underground
Stock	Kinki Sharyo P3010

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Los Angeles Metro K Line

The K Line is a light rail line in Los Angeles County, California operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The line connects neighborhoods in southwestern Los Angeles and parts of Inglewood with regional rail, rapid transit, and bus services including connections to Aviation/LAX station, Crenshaw, Expo/Crenshaw and transfer points for Bureau of Transportation Statistics-level planning partners and municipal agencies. The corridor serves major destinations such as Los Angeles International Airport, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center, and multiple commercial corridors, supporting the region's transit-oriented development around stations formerly served by bus rapid transit and arterial routes.

Overview

The K Line operates as part of the Los Angeles Metro Rail network under the governance of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and interfaces with countywide planning efforts by Southern California Association of Governments. The line integrates with fare policies of the Tap card system and participates in coordinated service planning with Metrolink (California), Amtrak, and municipal shuttles in Culver City and Downtown Los Angeles. Built to expand rail access in historically underserved communities including neighborhoods near Hawthorne, Westchester, and Leimert Park, the project aligns with regional initiatives such as the Measure M (Los Angeles County), the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games transportation planning, and environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The K Line's alignment runs roughly north–south from the Expo/Crenshaw junction south toward Aviation/LAX with a mix of at-grade, elevated, and underground segments passing through or adjacent to neighborhoods including Culver City, Westchester, Hollywood Park and Ladera Heights. Key stations provide transfers to the E Line (Los Angeles Metro) at the Expo/Crenshaw intermodal node, connections to the C Line (Los Angeles Metro) people-mover link at Aviation/LAX and regional bus hubs serving South Bay, Downey, and South Los Angeles. The corridor includes stations sited to serve venues such as SoFi Stadium and community anchors like Leimert Park Village, with multimodal facilities for Metro Bike Share and local microtransit pilots.

Planning for the corridor originated from earlier proposals including the Crenshaw Corridor Transit Project and coordination with proprietors of Los Angeles International Airport stakeholders and community groups in Inglewood. The project underwent environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and received funding through voter-approved measures such as Measure R (Los Angeles County) and Measure M (Los Angeles County), with federal support shaped by programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration. Construction contracts were awarded to contractors with experience on projects like the Purple Line Extension (Los Angeles Metro) and coordination with utilities, right-of-way agreements with the Port of Los Angeles-adjacent jurisdictions, and mitigation measures overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission for grade crossings.

Service patterns on the line are scheduled by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority with frequencies designed to interface with peak-period demands from venues like SoFi Stadium during events coordinated through the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission. Operational oversight includes safety programs tied to the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations and coordination with the California Highway Patrol for traffic control at at-grade crossings. Fare integration uses the Tap card system and service performance is monitored alongside commuter modes such as Metrolink (California) and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to manage transfers and passenger flow. Ridership initiatives have been developed in partnership with institutions including Los Angeles World Airports and community organizations in South Los Angeles.

K Line trains consist of light rail vehicles built by Kinki Sharyo of the P3010 family, similar to equipment used on other Los Angeles Metro Rail lines, maintained at Division 16 (Los Angeles Metro Rail maintenance yard) facilities with electrification via overhead catenary systems familiar from the Blue Line (Los Angeles Metro) modernization projects. Signaling incorporates elements compatible with regional assets such as the UP Railroad and coordination with Southern California Regional Rail Authority corridors for level crossings. Stations feature accessible platforms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and include amenity packages influenced by design precedents from projects like the Gold Line (Los Angeles Metro) and Expo Line.

Future planning envisions extensions and operational linkages to better serve Los Angeles International Airport travelers through a direct people mover or enhanced connection studied in partnership with Los Angeles World Airports and the Federal Transit Administration. Long-range proposals include southern and northern extensions toward South Bay communities and northern links toward Hollywood connecting with the Purple Line (Los Angeles Metro) and other transit investments funded through Measure M (Los Angeles County). Regional planning agencies such as the Southern California Association of Governments and transit advocacy groups continue to evaluate transit-oriented development opportunities adjacent to stations, influenced by large-scale projects like SoFi Stadium and the LAX Automated People Mover program.

Category:Los Angeles County transportation