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The Glendora to Pomona segment remains on time and on budget to be completed and turned over to LA Metro in just seven months. This past month, crews made significant progress preparing the new light rail system for testing this coming summer, including connecting the new light rail tracks from Glendora to Pomona with the existing Metro A Line and nearing completion on the light rail power system installation. These follow last month’s completion of the light rail train control system installation.
In addition, the procurement process to hire the design-build team for the 3.2-mile, two-station Pomona to Montclair project segment will soon reach its next step, when responses to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) are due next month.
Read on to learn more about current construction activities underway from Glendora to Pomona and the latest on the shovel-ready Pomona to Montclair segment.
Four New Stations
The four new light rail stations are now more than 70% complete overall. Nearly all station canopies are now installed, while work continues on the station platforms and associated parking facilities. Working out of their studios and fabrication facilities, each station’s artist/artist team continues to bring their art pieces to reality, as they prepare them for installation.
All four stations will be center platform stations, with a track on each side – one for westbound trains, and one for eastbound trains – and each station’s parking facility will feature amenities for riders arriving by bike, walking, bus and drop-off.
Glendora Station
   Photos: (top) Future Glendora station underway; (bottom) Crews carrying out underground utility work at future Glendora station plaza area
At the future Glendora station, crews continue to construct the station plaza area just north of the platform. As seen in the photo above, crews are currently relocating and protecting underground utilities at the plaza area. Once completed, crews will begin constructing the plaza area surface.
 Photo: Crews constructing walkway to pedestrian undercrossing to future Glendora station
Progress also continues on access to the pedestrian undercrossing, which will safely allow future passengers access to the station platform from the east and south by walking under the freight track and eastbound light rail track. As seen in the photo above, crews are grading the walkway to the undercrossing from the west end of the station.
  Photos: Future Glendora station parking facility construction underway
Just south of the future station and pedestrian undercrossing, crews continue to construct the station parking facility, and are currently carrying out underground utility work, as seen in the photos above.
San Dimas Station
  Photos: (top) Future San Dimas station underway; (bottom) Crews installing tactile pavers at San Dimas station platform
At the future San Dimas station, crews are installing tactile pavers throughout the station platform. As seen in the photos above, the tactile pavers will provide visual and tactile warnings to future riders as they approach the edge of the station platform.
 Photo: Future San Dimas station parking facility construction underway
Across the street and west of the future San Dimas station, crews continue to construct the station parking facility (previously the site of the former San Dimas Park & Ride lot). As seen in the photo above, crews are currently carrying out underground utility work throughout the site.
La Verne Station
  Photos: Crews installing decorative roof elements atop main boarding canopy (top) and west ticketing area canopy (bottom) at future La Verne station
At the future La Verne station, crews are installing the decorative roof elements atop the platform’s canopy structures. As seen in the photos above, crews are installing decorative glass panels that feature citrus-inspired patterns atop the west ticketing area canopy (and later for the east ticketing area canopy), and diamond-shaped shingles atop the main boarding canopy.
 Photo: Future La Verne station parking facility and drop-off area construction underway
To the south of the future station, construction continues on the station parking facility. As seen in the photo above, crews have constructed the curbs for the future surface parking lot and circular drop-off area.
Pomona Station
  Photos: (top) Crews painting main boarding canopy at future Pomona station; (bottom) West ticketing area canopy installed
At the future Pomona station, crews have installed two of the four station canopies: one for the main boarding area, and one for the west ticketing area - as seen in the photos above. Crews are now painting the main boarding canopy to its final color, and are preparing the west ticketing area canopy for painting as well. Crews will soon install the two remaining canopies for the east ticketing areas. Once both have been installed, all station canopies for the Glendora to Pomona project will be in place.
 Photo: Crews reconstructing the center section of the Metrolink parking lot between the future Pomona light rail station and Pomona North Metrolink station
Just south of the future station, crews continue to rebuild the existing parking area for the Pomona North Metrolink station. Late last year, crews completed the necessary work at the easternmost section of the parking lot to allow it to reopen for use, and then moved on to rebuilding the center section. The center section remains fully closed during construction through May 31, temporarily eliminating vehicle thru traffic and creating two temporary parking areas (one on the east side of the closed section and one on the west side). Following the reopening of the center section in late-May, crews will close the westernmost section. For information on the ongoing closure and work, click here.
 Photo: Crews clearing site of future Pomona station parking facility
In addition, southeast of the future Pomona station, crews will soon begin construction on the station parking facility. As seen in the photo above, crews are currently clearing out the site, which has been used by KPJV as a laydown area for the last few years. It will be the last of the four station parking facilities on the project to begin construction.
Completing and Connecting the New Light Rail System
With the new tracks and train control system installation completed, the light rail system is now closer than ever to being ready for the train testing that’s set to commence this summer. Crews are nearing completion on a few remaining major tasks ahead of train testing: connecting the operational Metro A Line with the new Glendora to Pomona project; constructing and testing the light rail power system; and grinding the rails of the light rail tracks to their final shape.
  Photos: Crews welding existing Metro A Line tracks with new Glendora to Pomona tracks
Just east of the last operational station on the Metro A Line in Azusa, crews are nearing completion on connecting the A Line with the new light rail system from Glendora to Pomona. As seen in the photos above, crews have welded together the existing A Line tracks with the new project tracks, creating a seamless rail line 9.1 miles further east to Pomona.
 Photo: Crews installing overhead wires to connect the light rail power systems between the existing Metro A Line and Glendora to Pomona project
Crews are also currently installing the last few sections of overhead wires to connect the light rail power systems of the A Line and Glendora to Pomona project, as seen in the photo above.
  Photos: Crews running tests (top) and completing work (bottom) on overhead wires in Glendora
Throughout the rest of the corridor, with nearly all of the light rail power system completed, crews have been carrying out final adjustments and running tests on the miles of newly-installed overhead wires, as seen in the photos above. During this testing, sections of the project’s overhead wires become electrified, with the power coming from the eight new traction power substations that have been installed about a mile apart throughout the corridor. The substations convert AC power from the local utilities into DC power that’s used for the light rail system.
 Photo: Rail grinding machine in Pomona
In addition, crews this week began work to grind the surface of the rails of the new light rail tracks to their final shape. As seen in the photo above, crews are utilizing a large, specialized machine to drive along the tracks throughout the entire 9.1-mile corridor. While it will generate noise and vibrations, crews will be monitoring the work to make sure noise and vibrations stay under required levels. For more information on this work, which will continue through June 5, click here for the combined notice for all four cities.
Ongoing Crossing Work and Safety Improvements
 Photo: Crews installing new traffic signal at San Dimas Ave. crossing in San Dimas
Throughout the project, crews have returned to various grade crossings to complete remaining work on the roadways, sidewalks and safety improvements.
Crews will continue to implement intermittent lane closures in Glendora on Route 66 between Hunters Trail and Compromise Line Rd. (click here for notice) and at the Lone Hill Ave. crossing (click here for notice); in San Dimas at the San Dimas Ave. crossing (click here for notice); and in Pomona at the Garey Ave. crossing (click here for notice - available in Spanish). Additionally, in Glendora, at the Elwood Ave./Foothill Blvd. intersection, there is a full road closure of Elwood Ave. currently in place to install new traffic signals (click here for notice). That closure will be extended to mid-June and include a full intersection closure with Foothill Blvd. for approximately one week to install the signals themselves (click here for notice).
 Photo: Crews completing work on crossing gates in Glendora
Additionally, crews continue to complete final work and conduct extensive testing of the new crossing safety equipment, gate arms and signals at all 21 at-grade crossings, as seen in the photo above. This testing is to ensure the quad gates will fully close off the intersection when a train is approaching to prevent vehicles and pedestrians from entering the crossing. If you haven’t already, the Construction Authority released a video earlier in the project about the quad gates and how the system is built for safety. Watch it by clicking here.
For the latest quarterly update video, click here or below.
  Graphics: Artist renderings of future Foothill Gold Line stations in Claremont (top) and Montclair (bottom)
In late-December 2023, Metro submitted a full funding request to CalSTA for the funding needed to complete the Los Angeles County portion of the final project segment from Pomona to Montclair. CalSTA is the agency overseeing the $4 billion funding program (SB125) for transit capital projects statewide that was approved by the state legislature and governor last summer. $1 billion of the program is expected to be allocated to projects in Los Angeles County over the next few years. An official announcement by CalSTA was expected before the end of April; but is now anticipated in July, following the current state budget process.
While the Construction Authority awaits the official funding announcement, the procurement process to hire the design-build team continues. Statement of Qualifications are due in June, with the Construction Authority expected to announce the shortlist of proposers in July. Only those teams included on the shortlist will move on to bid on the project.
Once funding is secured and a design-build team hired, the shovel-ready Pomona to Montclair segment will take approximately 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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