 2024 will be remembered as an historic year for the Foothill Gold Line. Not only was it the final year of major construction for the 9.1-mile, four-station Glendora to Pomona project segment, 2024 also brought secured funding to complete the final 3.2-mile, two-station project segment from Pomona to Montclair. In this final e-news update of 2024, we’ll look back at the major milestones that brought both project segments to this historic moment, and also provide a sneak peek at what is coming in 2025.
From all of us at the Construction Authority, we thank you for your patience as we continue our work and wish you safe holidays and a happy new year.
 Photo: Light rail trains traveling over new Lone Hill Ave light rail bridge in Glendora
In just a few days, on January 3, 2025, the Glendora to Pomona project - which will extend the Metro A Line further east and add new stations in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona - will reach substantial completion and be ready to be turned over to Metro. This major milestone will be achieved on time and on budget despite major construction beginning back in July 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold.
What Does Substantial Completion Mean?
Achieving substantial completion means that the entire newly constructed light rail system from Glendora to Pomona (including the stations, tracks, power system, train control system, grade crossing safety equipment, communications system, etc.) is fully functional and ready to be used as intended. After reaching substantial completion, smaller, final elements of work (mostly categorized as punch list items) will remain to be completed throughout the corridor and at the station areas; but these continuing work activities do not impact Metro’s ability to ready the new extension for passenger service. NOTE: Metro decides when passenger service starts.
As you may recall, when 2024 began, crews had already completed installation of the new light rail tracks - after making room by relocating the freight track that initially sat in the middle of the now-shared rail corridor; completed construction or renovation of the project’s 19 bridges (including completing the four new light rail bridges that will take Metro A Line trains over major streets and intersections in Glendora and San Dimas); and completed reconstruction of the project’s 21 at-grade crossings - each a major project on its own. However, much work remained to be completed in this final year on the path to substantial completion. Over the past 12 months, crews were able to meet the challenge. Here are highlights of the final milestones achieved in 2024:
Milestone #1: Completing the Light Rail System
    Photos: (top) Crews installing miles of underground cables for the train control system; (middle) Crews installing miles of overhead wires for the power system; (bottom) Completed light rail track system
The new light rail system from Glendora to Pomona is comprised of three major elements: the tracks, the train control system and the power system. The tracks were completed in 2023; but in the first half of 2024, crews were able to complete the train control system - made up of miles of underground cables, signals and sensors that monitor train movement, provide alerts and control the crossing safety equipment. They also completed installation of the new power system - comprised of miles of overhead catenary system wires strung across 350 poles to provide power for the light rail trains. The power comes from the eight traction power substations that were installed about a mile apart that convert AC power from local utilities to DC power - the type used to power the light rail system.
  Photos: Crews cutting into the existing terminus light rail tracks of the Metro A Line (top) before welding them together with the new Glendora to Pomona tracks (bottom)
Around the same time, just east of the Metro A Line’s APU/Citrus College Station in Azusa, crews welded together the existing A Line tracks with the newly completed tracks from Glendora to Pomona. With the light rail systems completed and this final track connection made, light rail trains could arrive to the project and begin the next major project milestone of 2024: testing.
Milestone #2: Train Testing Goes From 0 to 55 MPH
  Photos: Crews pulling unpowered light rail vehicle across Barranca Ave. crossing in Glendora (top) and future Pomona station (bottom) to conduct clearance testing
In late June, crews pulled an unpowered light rail vehicle onto the new project to carry out initial clearance testing. Crews walked along with the light rail vehicle back and forth between Glendora and Pomona to ensure that every inch of track was ready for trains to safely move on their own power.
   Photos: Active train testing in Glendora (top), San Dimas (middle) and La Verne (bottom)
Following the successful completion of the initial clearance testing, crews began active train testing in early July. Crews utilized multiple light rail vehicles that operated on their own power to test all elements of the new light rail system, including the tracks, train control, power, communications systems and safety features. This critical phase of construction is called systems integration testing, and ensures that all of the new systems work together as designed. Initial active train testing was carried out during the day at slower speeds; but soon was able to shift to higher speeds. Most of the train testing has taken place during nighttime hours to allow crews time during the day to continue construction on the project. Active train testing, which has been ongoing since July, will conclude in the coming days.
 Photo: Freight train testing in San Dimas
In addition, crews also completed testing of the freight track system that was relocated throughout the corridor to make room for the new light rail tracks. As seen in the photo above, crews utilized a BNSF freight train over two weekends to successfully test all elements of the relocated freight system.
Milestone #3: Preparing First Responders
  Photos: Construction Authority staff training first responders to familiarize them with the new light rail stations and corridor
As construction neared completion this year, the Construction Authority began active training for first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics, etc.) on how to navigate the corridor, trains and stations in case of emergencies. As part of the project’s ongoing Fire Life Safety coordination, Construction Authority staff familiarized the area’s first responders with the access (enter) and egress (exit) points along the corridor and at the future stations, as well as began preparing for emergency scenarios. Early next year, first responders will conduct emergency drills with test trains on the project as part of their preparation.
Milestone #4: Completing Miles of Decorative Walls and Fencing
   Photos: Miles of sound walls (top), fencing (middle) and retaining walls (bottom) were installed throughout the corridor
Block by block throughout the entire 9.1-mile corridor, crews put the finishing touches on the ten miles of decorative sound walls and retaining walls that feature citrus-inspired patterns designed by Alignment artist Christie Beniston to pay homage to the importance citrus played in the development of the corridor cities. In addition, crews also completed installation of miles of fencing along the corridor and station areas to prevent unauthorized access to the tracks.
Milestone #5: Completing Major Work at the Four New Stations and Associated Parking Facilities
    Photos: New light rail stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona
And last but certainly not least, this past year crews neared completion on the four new stations and associated parking facilities. Each station is designed with a center platform for boarding, with materials and colors representational of the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. Each features unique public artworks inspired by the history and culture of the station-city itself, created by the city-selected artist or artist-team.
    Photos: (first three) Dedicated artists/artist teams for Glendora (Michael Hillman), San Dimas (Eugene Daub and Anne Olsen Daub) and La Verne (Blue McRight) stations oversaw the installation of their art pieces this year; (bottom) Completed art tiles by Pomona station artist Stephen Farley awaiting installation
What’s Next in 2025?
The Glendora to Pomona project will reach substantial completion on January 3, 2025, and be ready to be turned over to Metro for training and pre-revenue operations. Metro will determine when passenger service begins. As stated earlier, achieving substantial completion means that the entire light rail system (stations, tracks, power system, train control system, grade crossing safety equipment, communications system, etc.) from Glendora to Pomona is fully functional and ready to be used as intended. Smaller, final elements of work (mostly known as punch list items) will remain to be completed throughout the corridor and station areas in 2025, but they will not have an impact on Metro’s ability to ready the new extension for passenger service. You will continue to see work happening throughout the corridor this coming year, but the vast majority of work is now behind us.
SAVE THE DATES:
In 2025, the Construction Authority will be dedicating the four new stations along with our project partners and regional leaders. The community is invited to join us for these community celebrations. Details will be released in the early part of 2025, but for now, please save the dates and plan to be part of these historic events that will take place starting at about 10 AM:
Glendora Station Dedication
Saturday, May 3, 2025
La Verne/Fairplex Station Dedication
Saturday, May 10, 2025
San Dimas Station Dedication
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Pomona North Station Dedication
Saturday, June 7, 2025
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  Graphics: Artist renderings of future stations in Claremont (top) and Montclair (bottom)
This past July, Governor Newsom and CalSTA, 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, announced the release of those funds. That same month, the LA Metro board reaffirmed their commitment to allocate the first $798 million of the expected $1 billion of those funds to complete the LA County portion of the final 3.2-mile, two-station Foothill Gold Line from Pomona to Montclair, which includes stations in Claremont and Montclair.
The Metro board a few months later (in October) approved an amendment to the ongoing funding agreement between Metro and the Construction Authority for that $798 million for construction of the LA County portion of the Pomona to Montclair project segment.
  Photos: Elected officials throughout the region celebrating approval of funding agreement for Pomona to Montclair project at Metro (top) and Construction Authority (bottom) board meetings in late 2024
This critical funding milestone was reached as the procurement to hire the design-build team for the final project segment was underway throughout 2024. The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) has dedicated $80 million of state and local funding for the San Bernardino County portion of the project.
What's Next in 2025?
Once the design-build contract is awarded (expected in Spring 2025), it will take approximately five years to complete the Pomona to Montclair project. Groundbreaking is anticipated later in 2025. Stay tuned for future announcements.
Thank you for your continued interest in the Foothill Gold Line. We appreciate your patience as we build this important regional project, and wish you a safe and happy new year ahead.
Lisa Levy Buch, Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer and the Public Affairs Team
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