On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved an elevated rail line along Hawthorne Boulevard south of the San Diego (405) Freeway, extending the Metro K Line 4.5 miles to the Torrance Transit Center.

The Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors rejected a $2.7 billion proposed light rail extension route between Redondo Beach and Torrance, opting instead to pursue a different alignment that is expected to cost up to $737 million more with a new timeline. The board voted unanimously to approve a motion that was introduced by three members the week prior and would explore an alignment that would run a train along Hawthorne Boulevard, south of the San Diego (405) Freeway. The extension would run as the southern part of the K Line, which provides access to LAX, and would support between 11,500 to 15,600 daily transit trips, according to the transit agency.

The new Hawthorne option would start within the existing Metro right- of-way (at the Redondo Beach Marine Station), then leave the right-of-way to parallel the 405 Freeway between Inglewood Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard, and follow Hawthorne Boulevard south between 162nd Street and 190th Street. As proposed, it would be an elevated alignment with one station, South Bay Galleria Station, south of Artesia Boulevard. The route would then turn southeast to join once again with Metro's right-of-way and travel south of 190th street to proceed to Torrance Transit Center.