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Just over three years ago, in July 2020, major construction began on the 9.1-mile, four-station Glendora to Pomona project segment. The corridor looked very different back then, with just a single freight track in the middle; and no upgraded grade crossings, bridges, tracks or stations to support a light rail system. Today, the corridor is nearly three-quarters of the way to completion. Crews have completed the long-term reconstruction at all 21 at-grade crossings; construction of the project’s 19 new or renovated bridges; relocation of the freight track throughout the 9.1-mile corridor to make room for the new light rail tracks; and, most recently, major work on the new light rail track system.
Overall, the project is now 74% complete, is estimated to come in under budget and remains on schedule for an early-January 2025 completion. At that time, it will be turned over to Metro for training and pre-revenue service (Metro will determine when passenger service begins).
Currently, crews continue to work throughout the corridor, but focus is now on the four new light rail stations, light rail power and train control systems, as well as the project walls and fencing. In addition, each station’s dedicated artist/artist team is currently busy creating their planned station artwork. Read on below to learn more.
Four New Stations - 55% Complete
Crews are now more than halfway complete with the four new light rail stations. With each station’s platform deck mostly completed, work is underway on the canopies, communications and power systems, and more. Behind the scenes, the station artists are making progress fabricating their public artworks, with some art pieces already completed and placed into storage for installation at a future date. All four stations will be center platform stations, with a track on each side – one for westbound trains, and one for eastbound trains.
Glendora Station
 Photo: Crews painting canopy frames at the future Glendora station
With the canopy frames fully installed at the future Glendora station, crews are currently painting the frames to their final color (see photo above).
 Photo: Crews constructing foundation for electrical bungalow at future Glendora station
Just east of the station platform, crews have installed the station’s communications bungalow, and are currently constructing the foundation for the electrical bungalow that will be installed soon (see photo above).
   Photos: Glendora station artist Michael Hillman showing final set of art tiles for Glendora station
The bases of the future Glendora station canopy columns will feature seven unique designs of six colorful hand-glazed art tiles created by Glendora station artist Michael Hillman. Each set was designed using a process called tessellation, that results in a consistent pattern no matter how the six tiles are ultimately arranged. As shown in the photos above, Michael, who is a Glendora resident and art professor at Citrus College, recently completed the final tiles that will be installed later in the project onto the column bases; as well as the configuration plan for each tile set.
San Dimas Station
  Photos: Canopy frame installation for the future San Dimas station
Crews recently installed the canopy frames for the future San Dimas station, as seen in the photos above. The frames were fabricated locally in Pomona, brought in by truck in pieces and welded together on-site. The largest of the pieces – the frame for the ticket vending machine canopy on the west end of the platform – weighs more than 14,000 pounds.
  Photos: (top) San Dimas station artists Anne Olsen Daub and Eugene Daub with Foothill Gold Line CEO Habib F. Balian and Cha-Rie Tang reviewing progress of art tiles; (bottom) In-progress and completed art tiles for San Dimas station
The San Dimas station artist team of Eugene Daub and Anne Olsen Daub, along with Foothill Gold Line CEO Habib F. Balian and Art Manager Lesley Elwood, recently visited the studio of Pasadena Craftsman Tile to review progress on some recently completed and some in-progress bas-relief ceramic tiles that were sculpted by the Daub artist team. Pasadena Craftsman Tile is helping to provide final glazing and color work. The founder of Pasadena Craftsman Tile is artist Cha-Rie Tang. Cha-Rie’s name may sound familiar: She is the station artist for the Monrovia station (click here to see her artwork for the Monrovia station). The final tiles, which feature wildlife and landscapes, will be installed on the canopy column bases along the station platform in the future.
La Verne Station
  Photos: Future La Verne station platform (top) and station parking facility (bottom) underway
Adjacent to the future La Verne station, crews have begun preparing the future station parking site for construction. For many months, the site was used as a laydown area for the project. As seen in the photo above, the site has recently been cleared and will soon be the first of the four future parking facilities to begin construction. The future parking lot is located just south of the station platform, and will feature 299 parking spaces and amenities for riders arriving by walking, bicycle, bus and drop-off.
  Photos: Samples of future La Verne station artwork
In the near future, Construction Authority staff will visit La Verne station artist Blue McRight’s studio and provide updates on the progress of her station artwork. Recently, at the Track Completion Ceremony, guests were able to see a sample of the stainless steel sculptures that will be featured in the station’s plaza area. Three 8-foot-tall art sculptures will pay homage to La Verne’s history and architecture, as well as the community’s connection to water and agriculture (see photo and drawing above).
Pomona Station
  Photos: Crews constructing west (top) and east (bottom) entrance ramps for future Pomona station
At the future Pomona station, crews are currently focused on constructing the entrance ramps to the station platform, as shown above. Ramps are being constructed from the west and east to provide easy connections for riders arriving from the nearby Metrolink station, the future station parking facility and those arriving from nearby Garey Ave.
  Renderings: Final placement for Hall of Gratitude at future Pomona station
In 2020, Pomona station artist Stephen Farley and the Construction Authority issued a call for nominations for inspirational Pomona residents, past and present, to be featured permanently in the station artwork’s “Hall of Gratitude.” After receiving more than a hundred nominations, 56 inspirational Pomonans were selected to be permanently featured. A likeness of each of the 56 local heroes will be displayed within the station area on glazed ceramic tiles, alongside a power statement expressing how they made a difference in people’s lives; as shown in the images above.
Want to be inspired? Take a minute and read about the local heroes that were nominated by their colleagues, friends and loved ones. Visit the Pomona People Power website by clicking here.
To learn more about the plans for the future stations, see these fact sheets: Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona.
Light Rail Power and Train Control Systems - More Than 60% Complete
Major work on the new light rail track system was completed when crews installed the 230,630th rail clip at the June 24, 2023 Track Completion Ceremony in La Verne (click here to see recap video or here to see a fun infographic on what it took to build the light rail tracks). Now, crews are focused on the other elements that make up the light rail system, including the power and train control systems (both are now more than 60% complete). Each is being constructed by separate, specialized crews that coordinate extensively with one another.
 Photo: Crews installing overhead catenary system poles in Glendora
Crews continue to install the poles for the overhead catenary system (OCS) onto foundations built about every 200 feet along the corridor, as seen in the photo above. Each pole weighs about 1,200 pounds. Just under 350 poles will be installed for the project.
  Photos: Crews installing overhead wires across the OCS poles in Glendora
Along stretches where the OCS poles are fully installed, crews continue to install the overhead wires across the poles, as seen in the photos above. The overhead wires provide power to the light rail trains when the train’s pantograph comes into contact with the wire (light rail trains run on electricity).
  Photos: Crews installing underground conduit and cables for light rail system in San Dimas
In addition, crews are also installing miles of underground cables and ducts for the power, train control and communications systems, as well as innerduct that allow the ductbank to be subdivided for multiple pathways for cable pulls in the future.
 Photo: Crews constructing drainage channel in Glendora
Also integral to the light rail system are the various drainage channels being constructed throughout the corridor, as seen in the photo above. These drainage channels will collect and move water away from tracks and adjacent properties during rainstorms.
Ongoing Crossing Work
  Photos: Crews completing work on crossing gates and signals in Glendora (top) and San Dimas (bottom)
Throughout the corridor (and as seen in the photos above), crews are currently going back to all of the grade crossings to install and complete work on the new crossing gates and signals that prevent vehicles and pedestrians from entering the railroad crossing when light rail trains approach. As you may have seen in our past video – “Designing Safe At-Grade Crossings From Glendora to Pomona” (click here to watch) – each grade crossing where future light rail trains will travel is being upgraded with four crossing gates to block all directions of vehicular traffic, and pedestrian gates to block the sidewalks.
Sound Walls, Retaining Walls and Fencing - 77% Complete
 Photo: Crews conducting finishing work on the sound and retaining walls of the Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. light rail bridge in Glendora
Nearly 80 percent of the ten miles of sound walls and retaining walls planned for the project are now installed. At each of the walls, crews are coming back and applying finishes to the walls, as seen in the photo above. As you can also see, the sound walls and retaining walls feature custom patterns designed by the project’s Alignment artist, Christie Beniston. In addition, miles of fencing is being installed throughout the corridor to provide a barrier to the tracks, as seen in the photo below.
 Photo: Fencing installed along corridor in La Verne
The Construction Authority is currently seeking $798 million to complete the 3.2-mile project segment from Pomona to Montclair that includes the final two stations of the 25-station Foothill Gold Line program. The agency is hopeful that the funding needed to build the final two stations will come as a result of the recently approved 2023-’24 state budget, which included more than $4 billion for transit capital spending statewide to be allocated over the next three fiscal years. The funding, which provided flexibility to allow some transit operations use, is expected to be distributed by population. That would mean that LA County would receive at least $1 billion over the next three years from these new state funds.
As you may recall, this past March the Metro board unanimously made completing the Foothill Gold Line to Claremont and Montclair the county’s number one priority for new state transit capital funding opportunities. More details are expected to be available soon on how the budgeted transit capital funding will be distributed and rules for how the State will oversee its use; and we will provide updates in future E-News Updates.
Once funding is secured, the shovel-ready Pomona to Montclair segment will take five years to complete.
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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