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As 2023 comes to a close, the 9.1-mile, four-station Glendora to Pomona project segment is now 81% complete, and work is underway to secure the funding needed to complete the final 3.2-mile, two-station project segment from Pomona to Montclair. It has been a historic year for the Foothill Gold Line, and we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what was accomplished during the past 12 months.
Here is a Year in Review video (to watch the video, click here or below), and read on for additional project highlights:
The Glendora to Pomona project segment is now 81% complete. In 2023, the project reached several major construction milestones, keeping it on schedule for an early-January 2025 substantial completion:
2023 Milestone #1: All 19 Bridges Complete
   Photos: Crews completed the last of the 19 project bridges at Lone Hill Ave. in January 2023
The first construction milestone of the year occurred in January, when crews completed major construction on the project’s 19 bridges. Some of the bridges were built or renovated when the freight rail system was relocated, while others were built as part of the new light rail system. Most span waterways and channels, but four are new bridges that will take future Metro A Line trains over city streets. In Glendora, three new light rail bridges were completed: at the Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. intersection, Route 66 and Lone Hill Ave.; and in San Dimas, one was completed over the Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. intersection. The project bridges all feature custom design patterns that pay homage to the important role citrus historically played in the development of the corridor. The design patterns were created by the project’s Alignment artist, Christie Beniston. In January 2023, major work on the final and largest bridge on the project – the new light rail bridge over Lone Hill Ave. in Glendora – was completed, providing a fully ready corridor to install the new light rail system.
   Photos: Major light rail bridges over Foothill Blvd./Grand Ave. intersection (top) and Route 66 (middle) in Glendora, and over Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. intersection in San Dimas
2023 Milestone #2: Long-Term Reconstruction of All 21 At-Grade Crossings Complete
  Photos: (top) Garey Ave. crossing in Pomona under construction, facing south; (bottom) Garey Ave. crossing open, facing north
The second major construction milestone of the year was reached in late March, when crews completed the long-term reconstruction of the project’s 21 at-grade – or street-level – crossings from Glendora to Pomona. Work on the grade crossings took several years to complete, as each was a significant undertaking, requiring long-term full street closures to allow crews time and space to relocate and protect underground utilities, relocate the freight track, install the new light rail tracks, and build new medians, sidewalks, curbs/gutters and roadways. In March 2023, reconstruction requiring the long-term closure of Garey Ave. at the grade crossing in Pomona was completed. Garey Ave. was the last of the project’s 21 at-grade crossings to complete this critical work – ending long-term street closures that had impacted the project corridor since major construction began in summer 2020.
2023 Milestone #3: Track Installation Complete
   Photos: (top) Crews installed the final rail clip to complete new light rail tracks; (middle, bottom) Elected officials, community members and the media celebrating the milestone at the Track Completion Ceremony on June 24, 2023
And on Saturday, June 24, 2023, hundreds of elected officials, community members and the media joined the Construction Authority to witness the final construction milestone of the year: completion of the light rail tracks. This milestone was years in the making, as crews had to first relocate the freight track that initially sat in the middle of the now-shared rail corridor to make room for the new light rail tracks. As the crowd watched at the June 24th track completion ceremony, the final rail clip was installed, completing the project’s track work – made up of 55 miles of steel rail, more than 57,000 track ties, 3.3 million cubic feet of ballast and more than 230,000 rail clips.
2023 also saw progress on the four new stations and other elements that make up the new light rail system, including the power and train control systems:
Four New Stations – 65% Complete
    Photos (in order): Construction underway at the future Glendora station, San Dimas station, La Verne station parking facility and Pomona station
The four new stations continue to be underway with construction and are 65% complete as 2023 closes. At each station, crews have completed much of the work on the station platforms and communications and power systems. The platforms and ticketing area canopies are being installed, and construction has started on the first of the four new intermodal parking facilities.
    Photos (in order): Some of the station art pieces completed or underway for the future stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona
Behind the scenes, the station artists have been fabricating the artwork for the new stations, with some art pieces completed and installed at the stations.
Light Rail Power and Train Control Systems – 70% and 77% Complete
  Photos: Crews installing overhead catenary system poles (top) and overhead wires across the poles (bottom) for the light rail power system
Throughout the corridor, the overhead wires are being strung atop the overhead catenary system poles that have now been mostly installed. The wires will in the future provide power to the light rail trains when the train’s pantograph comes into contact with the wire. The power will come from eight traction power substations that have now been installed about a mile apart along the corridor.
 Photo: Crews installing underground cables for the light rail system in Glendora
To make the new light rail system work together, crews continue to install miles of underground cables connecting the power, train control and communications equipment, among other continuing activities.
Sound Walls, Retaining Walls and Fencing – 90% Complete
  Photos: Ten miles of sound walls (top) and retaining walls (bottom) have been installed throughout the project corridor
Block by block, crews are putting the finishing touches on the ten miles of decorative sound walls and retaining walls already installed throughout the project. The citrus-inspired patterns on the walls were designed by Alignment artist Christie Beniston.
 Photo: Crews installing new crossing safety equipment at the E St. crossing in La Verne
Looking ahead to 2024, most of the remaining work on the project will be completed in the first half of the new year, with the four new stations expected to be completed by late-Fall. Work will continue at the 21 grade crossings to complete installation of new safety equipment, before train testing can begin in the second half of the year. Construction of the new four-station extension is expected to be nearly complete by the end of next year and reach substantial completion in early-January 2025, when it will be turned over to LA Metro for training and pre-revenue operations.
 Photo: Foothill Gold Line Board Chair, Claremont Mayor Ed Reece (right) and Foothill Gold Line Board Member, La Verne Mayor Tim Hepburn (left) at the March 2023 Metro board meeting
This past year also saw important progress toward completing the final Foothill Gold Line segment from Pomona to Montclair. In March 2023, the final segment – which includes stations in the cities of Claremont and Montclair – was unanimously named Los Angeles County’s number one priority project for state funding by the Metro board of directors.
In July 2023, the state legislature and governor approved $4 billion in state funding for transit capital projects statewide. The funds, which are to be distributed over the next two years to counties by population, are expected to provide Los Angeles County $1 billion. This week, LA Metro will be submitting the project for full funding through that program.
In anticipation, the Construction Authority will begin in early 2024 the 15-month process to hire the design-build team to complete the Pomona to Montclair project segment.
  Graphics: Artist renderings of future Claremont (top) and Montclair (bottom) stations
Once funding is secured and a design-build team hired, the shovel-ready Pomona to Montclair segment will take five years to complete.
From the team at the Construction Authority, we want to thank you for your patience this past year as we have continued to build this important regional project, and also wish you a safe and joyous holiday season and happy new year.
Lisa Levy Buch, Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer and the Public Affairs Team
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