Rahul Somvanshi
The LA subway expansion and the new Vermont Transit Corridor bus rapid transit are set to serve 66,200 daily riders on Los Angeles County’s busiest bus corridor ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, according to LA Metro. On October 21, 2026, LA Metro broke ground on the 12.4-mile Vermont Avenue BRT, which will include 26 enhanced stations and connect to four Metro Rail lines including the B, D, E, and C lines, as stated in the agency’s press release. Vermont Avenue has been identified as the county’s busiest bus corridor, and the BRT is projected to accommodate those 66,200 daily riders with improved stations. The project is fully funded through a $149.9 million federal grant awarded in September 2026, combined with state funds and Measure M sales tax revenue. The corridor also links with more than 13 east-west bus routes, extending rapid transit access across the region. Target completion is expected by 2028 ahead of the LA28 Summer Olympics with a phased opening schedule. Further details on Olympic-related transit work can be found at https://www.karmactive.com/lax-metro-transit-center-opens/.
Phased lane openings along the Vermont corridor are projected to cut travel times by up to 24 percent, according to LA Metro. Immediate westside access is already available through the newly opened D Line Section 1 underground stations at La Brea, Fairfax, and La Cienega, which began service on May 8, 2026. The D Line Section 1 opening preceded the BRT groundbreaking by several months, giving commuters a head start on westside travel. The integration of bus rapid transit with rail offers residents quicker commutes before the full build-out is finished.
Vermont BRT connects to the 2026 D Line subway extension through shared stations and timed transfers. The D Line Section 1 opened May 8, 2026, delivering underground service to La Brea, Fairfax, and La Cienega. Sections 2 and 3 are under construction toward Beverly Hills, Century City, and Westwood/UCLA, per the D Line Project Portal. The environmental angle emphasized zero-emission public transit and active mobility infrastructure within the corridor. In September 2026, an order for 220 ENC battery-electric buses was placed for the broader Metro network, according to a Sustainable Bus technical audit published October 26, 2026. Background on system usage is reported at https://www.karmactive.com/la-metro-2024-ridership-surpasses-311-million/.
While the broader network will receive 220 electric buses, the specific Vermont corridor vehicle arrangement remains unconfirmed in the October 21, 2026 LA Metro press release, which does not confirm a vehicle procurement contract, manufacturer, fleet size, or delivery timetable for the Vermont BRT specifically, a detail missed by other coverage.
Los Angeles operates an underground subway system. The D Line Section 1 stations opened in May 2026 provide westside subway access, with further extensions planned to UCLA, complementing the bus rapid transit above ground.
Further milestones from 2026 through 2028 will include phased openings of Vermont BRT stations and completion of D Line sections. Additional transit capacity will be delivered by the integrated network ahead of the LA28 Games.
