Metro today joined local, county and federal officials and community leaders to dedicate the K Line’s Fairview Heights K Station, which will provide the Inglewood community with a new rail connection to the city’s affordable and supportive housing, key entertainment venues and Metro’s 5.5-mile pedestrian and bicycle path that is under construction.

The Facebook Live stream of the event can be viewed here. Speakers at today’s event included Rep. Maxine Waters, Inglewood Mayor and Metro Board Member James Butts and Metro Board First Vice  Chair Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker.

The K Line, also referred to as the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, is expected to open later this year. The station is located between the intersections of Redondo Boulevard and West Boulevard in the Fairview Heights community in Inglewood. It will serve as a bridge between Inglewood and the greater Los Angeles region and is near Edward Vincent Jr. Park. This park contains the historical Centinela Springs, soccer fields, basketball courts, baseball and softball diamonds, picnic areas, an Olympic-size pool and veterans center.

Also nearby are several housing developments, local mom-and-pop businesses and schools — including Centinela Elementary School and St. Mary’s Academy.

As an additional station amenity, Metro will also open a 200-space park-and-ride lot adjacent to the station to make commuting convenient.

Metro is now building a 5.5-mile pedestrian and bicycle path that will connect directly with Fairview Heights K Line Station, the  Silver Line and the A Line (Blue) Slauson Station. The $143-million project, called the Rail to Rail project, will be built along an old freight rail corridor and represents a substantial local and state transportation investment for the underserved communities of South Los Angeles. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.

Metro has also had a hand in building new affordable housing near Fairview Heights Station. Just across the street from the station are the Fairview Heights Apartments. The building is a transit-oriented development built jointly by Metro and the County of Los Angeles. The 101-unit apartment complex provides 50 units for permanent supportive housing for people who were once homeless and 50 affordable housing units for low-income families.

The station will also provide an essential transit link for commuters heading to other key downtown Inglewood destinations as well as Los Angeles and the Westside via connections with the E Line (Expo). Another nearby station, Aviation/Century is projected to open in fall 2023 and will provide access to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), hotels and is one stop away from the C Line (Green).

Metro Airport Metro Connector Project, which will provide a connection to LAX, is planned to open in late 2024, giving Fairview Heights community members close access by train to the airport for the first time.

The Fairview Heights station offers residents and riders quicker, car-free access to Inglewood’s entertainment venues such as The Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium.

During Metro’s station dedication ceremony today, the agency also celebrated the importance of station art. Officials recognized Fairview Heights station commemorative pin contest winner, high school student Isabella Gonzalez. All K Line stations include artwork commissioned through the agency’s Metro Art program. Artists were selected through an open, competitive selection process following the recommendation of a panel of community-based arts professionals.

Artwork commissioned for the Fairview Heights station features murals by Kim Schoenstadt that portray hybrid structures based on existing and historical buildings from the surrounding neighborhood.

For additional information about the project, please visit https://kline.metro.net/about-fairview-heights/

For more information about Metro Art, please visit metro.net/art.

“With a park and ride lot and planned connections to a new Metro active transportation corridor, Fairview Heights Station will play a prominent role in meeting Inglewood’s future multi-modal transportation needs,” said Glendale City Council Member and Metro Board Chair Ara J. Najarian. “It will add tremendous convenience for residents and visitors who want to avoid congested streets and highways by choosing instead to walk, bike and ride Metro Bus and Rail.”

“These and other projects make it much easier to get around South Los Angeles, especially for those who depend on walking, biking and transit as their primary means of transportation,” said Metro Board First Chair Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker.  “Metro is making a huge investment in better mobility for South Los Angeles communities that will benefit future generations of residents.”

“Fairview Heights is rich with community organizing energy, from vital community-led projects like the Rail to River bike and pedestrian path and Fairview Heights Apartments low-income housing to decades-old organizations serving community needs like Maranatha Community Church and Chuco’s Justice Center,” said L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.  “As we introduce new opportunity through the opening of the Fairview Heights station along the K Line, I know we can continue building on that legacy with Metro as a partner.”

“The K Line will continue to be part of the amazing expansion and growth of Inglewood, the new entertainment capitol in Southern California,” said Mayor of Inglewood and Metro Board Member James Butts. “This rail line will provide Inglewood residents and visitors from all over our region with quick access to a revitalized downtown, not to mention our newly built SoFi stadium and other sports and entertainment venues.”

“The Fairview Heights station is a clear example of how investment in transportation infrastructure can be life-changing, especially for the residents who need access to reliable and cost-effective transit,” said Mayor of Los Angeles and Metro Board Member Eric Garcetti. “This station will provide an array of opportunities to residents in this area — bringing them closer not only to job centers but parks, sports venues, and our airport.”

“L.A. Metro’s Fairview Heights K Line Station brings rail transit to the doorstep of residents who will eventually benefit from an array of rail, bus, bicycling and walking connectivity never seen before in Inglewood,” said Metro CEO Stephanie N. Wiggins. “I am looking forward to the immediate benefits this station will bring Inglewood, especially for those who are trying to improve their quality of life.”

Some more about today’s event and snippets of some of the performances are in this stream of tweets:

We held our station dedication today for the K Line’s Fairview Heights Station in the great city of Inglewood. The ribbon is officially cut! pic.twitter.com/97Wwdd1hS4

— LA Metro (@metrolosangeles) August 20, 2022

Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects

Tagged as: affordable housing, Crenshaw/LAX Line, Fairview Heights Station, Inglewood, K Line, light rail, Measure R, parking, projects, transit oriented development

Does Metro realize how bad it looks to be holding dedications for a line that is years delayed and still has no opening date announced?

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