Grade Crossing Updates
When major construction on the Glendora to Pomona project segment began back in July 2020, the work began at a grade crossing. That is because successfully completing reconstruction of the nearly two dozen grade crossings for the project was critical to the success of the overall schedule. It was also because much of the work at each grade crossing happens underground, which carries significant risk of potentially unearthing unknowns that need to be addressed. So, as the project closes out its 19th month of major construction – and the grade crossing work reaches 75% completion – the likelihood of this risky work impacting the ability of the team to reach substantial completion in early 2025 becomes smaller and smaller.
This month, five grade crossings remain under construction (and work is getting started to relocate utilities at Garey Ave. in Pomona – the last crossing to begin reconstruction). A handful of other crossings still require additional work and will undergo follow-up closures later this year. That work though is mostly above-ground (to install the light rail tracks and relocated freight track through the crossings).
Here are the latest highlights for crossings undergoing reconstruction work in February:
Fulton Rd. Crossing:
 Photo: Fulton Rd. crossing in La Verne/Pomona reopen
Earlier this month, crews utilized a five-day full closure of Fulton Rd. in La Verne/Pomona to relocate the freight track to its new, permanent position (including starting relocation on the new freight bridge over Thompson Creek). This was the second full closure of Fulton Rd., and crews will be returning to the crossing later this year for a third and final full closure to install the light rail tracks and complete the crossing work.
Ongoing Closures: Currently, grade crossing reconstruction is underway at Pasadena Ave. in Glendora (extended thru March 27; click here for notice); Cataract Ave. (click here for notice) and San Dimas Ave. in San Dimas (click here for notice); and A St. (click here for notice) and White Ave. in La Verne (click here for notice).
   Photos: (top) Pasadena Ave. crossing in Glendora; (bottom) Crews installing underground conduit for light rail system at San Dimas Ave. crossing in San Dimas
Due to significant delays caused by a need to change the design for a large Southern California Edison (SCE) vault under Pasadena Ave. in Glendora, discovered once the street was opened up as part of the reconstruction effort, the full street closure was recently extended through March 27. SCE crews recently completed their work at the crossing, and now KPJV is quickly working to complete the remaining grade crossing activities that unfortunately could not be completed until SCE was done with their work and out of the way.
At the remaining four crossings, crews remain on schedule to complete the work, which includes relocating and protecting underground water, sewer, gas, communications and power lines. Crews will later move on to installing the light rail tracks, installing new safety equipment, and rebuilding the roadways, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and medians.
  Photos: (top) Crews constructing new curb at A St. crossing in La Verne; (bottom) White Ave. crossing in La Verne
As always, we appreciate the community’s patience as we complete this impactful work.
We will continue to notify the surrounding community ahead of any future closure, so please encourage anyone that might be impacted to sign up for Construction Alerts at www.foothillgoldline.org.
Construction of New Light Rail Bridges Over Major Streets
Nineteen bridges are being built new or renovated as part of the Glendora to Pomona project segment, and as of this month, 36% of that work is now complete. While that overall completion number may not seem high enough, the freight bridges on the project are 94% complete.
With the freight bridge work nearly all done, the KPJV structures team is now focused on constructing the various light rail bridges. Like the freight bridges, most of the light rail bridges cross water channels and washes along the corridor - but four are being built to carry light rail trains over major streets.
Three of these four new light rail bridges are in Glendora at the Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. intersection, Route 66 and Lone Hill Ave.; the fourth bridge is in San Dimas at the Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. intersection. Each is required by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to improve safety for both the new light rail system and city streets. Below are updates on all of them (from west to east):
Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. Light Rail Bridge
  Photos: The west (top) and east (bottom) approaches for the future light rail bridge over Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. in Glendora
Construction is now underway on both ends of the future light rail bridge over the Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. intersection in Glendora. On both sides of the intersection, crews are constructing the approaches and abutments.
The west approach, as seen in the photo above, has been under construction since last summer and is the furthest along amongst the various bridge elements. Meanwhile, across the intersection, crews recently began constructing the east approach for the bridge (photo above). The retaining walls for both approaches consist of custom form panels that feature the project’s citrus design. When completed, both approaches will measure around 1,300 feet in length.
  Photos: Crews constructing the west (top) and east (bottom) abutments for the future light rail bridge over Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. in Glendora
Construction of the walls for the west and east abutments (the supports at both ends of the bridge) are also underway and at different progress points. Crews are currently installing rebar for the walls of the west abutment, while the further-along east abutment just had the first concrete placement.
To understand what the future light rail bridge over Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. will look like, click here to see 3D simulations.
Route 66 Light Rail Bridge
 Photo: Falsework and columns for future light rail bridge over Route 66 in Glendora
Motorists and pedestrians traveling along Route 66 in Glendora will have noticed the unique design patterns on the two completed columns for the future light rail bridge. With the columns and abutments completed (abutments are the supports at both ends of the bridge), crews have now begun constructing the falsework for the bridge. The falsework is the temporary support for the super-structure that will cross the street itself.
During this work, nightly intermittent lane or bi-directional closures of Route 66 between Hunters Trail and Compromise Line Rd. are taking place. This will continue through March. For more information on these nighttime closures, click here.
For more information on the future light rail bridge over Route 66, click here.
Lone Hill Ave. Light Rail Bridge
 Photo: Crews constructing the west approach for the future light rail bridge over Lone Hill Ave. in Glendora
As seen in the photo above, the approach between the new light rail bridges over San Dimas Wash (west of Lone Hill Ave.) and Lone Hill Ave. continues to take shape. Crews are constructing the retaining walls for the approach, which consist of custom form panels that feature the project’s citrus design.
  Photos: Columns and west abutment for future light rail bridge over Lone Hill Ave. in Glendora
With the west and east abutments completed (abutments are the supports at both ends of the bridge), construction is now underway on the center columns for the future light rail bridge over Lone Hill Ave. As seen in the photos above, crews are currently installing the steel cages for the columns. Crews will soon install custom form panels around the steel cages and then place concrete. Once the concrete is cured, crews will remove the forms to reveal the custom design pattern similar to the columns seen at Route 66.
The Lone Hill Ave. bridge will be the largest bridge on the 9.1-mile project from Glendora to Pomona. When completed, the bridge will span 344 feet from abutment to abutment. The super-structure will have a minimum vertical clearance of 24 feet to allow freight trains to travel underneath. This is the one location between Glendora and Pomona where the freight system will switch from south to north positions in the corridor to continue serving customers. To see what the bridge will look like when completed, click here for a 3D simulation.
Construction will continue on the Lone Hill Ave. bridge through the end of 2022, with long-term lane closures and a few days of full street closures ahead. To learn more, click here.
Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. Light Rail Bridge
 Photo: Future light rail bridge at Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. in San Dimas
With the falsework for the new light rail bridge over the Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. intersection in place and forms installed for the internal walls, crews are starting construction of the super-structure (as seen in the photos above and below). The super-structure is the portion of the bridge that will carry the light rail trains across the intersection. Iron workers recently started installing rebar by hand within the internal structure of the bridge as they ready it for concrete to be placed. Once this section is complete, the process will be repeated as crews build the entire super-structure.
  Photos: Crews installing steel for the super-structure of the future light rail bridge over Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. in San Dimas
To learn more about the future light rail bridge, click here.
Station Construction Underway
Work is underway on the Glendora and La Verne Stations, as well as at the future parking facility location for the Pomona Station. Read on for details.
Glendora Station
 Photo: Glendora station construction
Within the corridor between Vermont Ave. and Glendora Ave. in Glendora, crews continue to make progress constructing the platform for the future Glendora station. Currently, crews are constructing the walls for the platform, as well as pedestrian access ramps on both ends. The ramp on the west end of the station platform will provide riders access to the station from Vermont Ave.; while the east ramp will connect to the pedestrian undercrossing and provide access from Glendora Ave. and the future station parking facility (photo below).
 Photo: Crews constructing the walkway connecting the pedestrian undercrossing to the Glendora station platform
The station will be a center platform station with light rail tracks soon to be installed on both sides (one for westbound and one for eastbound light rail trains).
La Verne Station
 Photo: Crews installing underground conduit for future La Verne station
Within the corridor between E St. and White Ave. in La Verne, crews are currently installing underground conduit that will house the communications and power lines for the light rail system and future La Verne station. Crews will soon move on to constructing the station platform itself, which will be a center platform with light rail tracks on both sides.
Future Pomona Station Parking Facility
 Photo: Crews demolishing vacated buildings to make way for the future Pomona station parking facility
At the site of the future parking facility for the Pomona station, crews are nearly complete with the demolition of several vacated buildings purchased as part of the project. One building will continue to be used by a tenant through the end of March; at which time, it will be turned over to the Construction Authority for environmental testing, remediation and demolition.
To learn more about the plans for the future stations, see these fact sheets: Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona.
Overhead Catenary System & Traction Power Substation Installation
 Photo: Crews constructing the foundations for the overhead catenary system in La Verne
Throughout the corridor, crews continue to construct the foundations for the overhead catenary system (OCS) poles that will provide electrical power to the light rail trains via overhead wires. Crews are drilling holes, installing steel cages and placing concrete to complete each foundation for the OCS. Hundreds of these foundations will be constructed from Glendora to Pomona - each about 200 feet apart.
In the future, during the final steps of construction for the light rail system, crews will install poles on top of these foundations that will carry the catenary wires, as well as the rest of the overhead catenary system.
 Photo: Crews installing the first Traction Power Substation (TPSS)
You may be asking: Where will the power for the OCS come from? The power will come from the Traction Power Substations (TPSS) that are being installed about a mile apart throughout the corridor. The TPSS converts AC power from the local utility into DC power that then travels through the overhead wires to power the light rail system. Crews recently installed the first TPSS on the project (as shown above). In all, eight TPSS units will be installed from Glendora to Pomona.
Freight Service Now Active in Rail Corridor
  Photos: BNSF freight train traveling through the Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. intersection (top) and Eucla Ave. crossing (bottom) in San Dimas
Earlier this month, BNSF freight trains resumed service through the rail corridor between Irwindale and Pomona. The service was suspended in November 2020 as the freight track was relocated to make room for the new light rail system. There still remains some temporary track that will need to be updated in the coming months, as well as a short distance of freight track through Pomona that still needs to be relocated later this year; however, with the majority of the freight relocation work completed, crews have started building the light rail system.
Always stay alert for trains and heed all safety warnings. Now that service has resumed in the corridor, people should always expect a train when crossing the rail corridor and heed all safety warnings. As a reminder, the Federal Railroad Administration requires freight trains to sound their horn as they approach each street crossing.
To see more of these and other activities that took place this past month, click here or below to watch the February 2022 project highlight video.
Thank you for your continued interest in the Foothill Gold Line. We appreciate your patience as we build this important regional project.
Lisa Levy Buch, Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer and the Public Affairs Team
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