Metro held its first community meeting of 2015 for the Metro Purple Line Extension Project last week.

The presentation, shown above, gave the public an overview on what is planned in the coming months on Section 1 of the project. There were also details about specific work such as advanced utility relocation, design-builder updates and tree removal, replacement and landscape plans.

Section 1 runs for 3.9 miles between the existing Wilshire/Western Station and Wilshire/La Cienega and includes stations at Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax.

The project’s construction relations team also presented Metro’s Project Area Discount Program to support local businesses within the project alignment, and introduced the Eat, Shop, Play campaign that will be launched later this year.

Attendees also watched a new animation video (below) produced by Parson Brinckerhoff — the Engineering Management Services Consultant for the project — that demonstrates the process of pile installation and street decking. The video illustrates the carefully orchestrated stages of street work when Metro eventually begins digging station sites along Wilshire Boulevard.

It’s important to note that the project contractor is currently performing mainly design work while utility relocation continues. Pile and street decking work is not planned to begin until the end of this year — with work at Wilshire and La Brea scheduled first.

The project’s next community meeting for Section 1 is slated for Thursday, March 19.

There is also some news on Section 2 of the Purple Line Extension that will run from Wilshire/La Cienega to the Century City Station below the intersection of Constellation and Avenue of the Stars and include a station in downtown Beverly Hills at Wilshire/Rodeo.

Metro is in the process of applying for a federal grant and loan that will be paired with Measure R funds to build this section of the project. On that front, the Federal Transit Administration recently gave Metro approval to begin engineering work on this section of the project.

And some pre-construction work is also underway. Specifically, Metro is doing some potholing work in the Century City area to learn more about the underground terrain. And Metro has begun contacting tenants who may need to be relocated while also beginning the process of acquiring any properties needed to build Section 2.

Metro is also planning to soon hold community meetings to discuss Section 2 of the project and may form an advisory committee of residents, businesses and others along this part of the alignment.

Here’s the project website — with tons of info about the Purple Line Extension — and below is the project map showing all three sections of the project. The third section will run from Century City to Westwood and is scheduled to open in 2036 in Metro’s long-range plan unless funds can be secured to accelerate the project. You can also follow the project on Facebook and Twitter.