Construction Errors Delay Crenshaw Light Rail in Los Angeles

The Crenshaw/LAX line, under construction in Los Angeles and passing through the city of Inglewood to connect the Expo and Green lines, was originally scheduled to open in 2019.

1 minute read

April 21, 2020, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Metro Train Station

METRO96 / Wikimedia Commons

"The Metropolitan Transportation Authority acknowledged [recently] that flawed construction on a $2.06-billion rail line through South Los Angeles will delay its opening until mid-2021, two years later than originally promised," reports Laura J. Nelson. 

"The Crenshaw Line is about 95% complete. But construction will not conclude until the end of this year or early 2021 because crews have been forced to redo work along the 8.5-mile route," according to the article. 

The delays put the earliest possible opening date for the new light rail line in May 2021. The most-recent delay pushes the line further back from its original scheduled opening date in fall of 2019. The delay also adds cost to the project, which will have to be paid with a requested $90 million from Metro. The article includes more detail about the construction errors that caused the delay.

For those wondering how the Crenshaw/LA Line will be named to conform with Metro's decision to rename all of its rail and busway routes with letters, rumors are that the line will eventually be dubbed the "K Line."

Friday, April 10, 2020 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive