|
At the start of the new year, on January 3, 2025, the 9.1-mile, four-station Foothill Gold line light rail project from Glendora to Pomona reached substantial completion - on time and on budget. Reaching substantial completion means that the project has now been turned over to LA Metro for final testing, training and preparation for future Metro A Line passenger service in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona, among other tasks that will take place in the months ahead. When ready, LA Metro will announce when passenger service will begin. A start date has not yet been announced, but it is anticipated sometime in Summer 2025.
Over the last five years of design and construction, the design-build team of Kiewit-Parsons, a Joint Venture (KPJV), logged more than 2.6 million work hours to complete all elements of the light rail project, including construction of four new stations and associated parking facilities, 19 bridges, 21 at-grade crossings, the light rail system (including the track, power, train control, communications and safety systems), nine miles of relocated freight track, 10 miles of decorative retaining walls and sound walls, and more - all while maintaining an excellent safety record.
The Construction Authority has released a short video to mark reaching this historic milestone. Click here or below to watch the video.
 To the staffs, residents, students and businesses of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona, the Construction Authority and KPJV thank you for your patience and understanding over these past five years as this important project was completed.
When can I begin riding the new extension?
Now that Metro has taken over the project, they have several important tasks they need to perform before opening the line for service. These activities can take several months and include final testing of the systems, receiving certificates of occupancy, certifications from the California Public Utilities Commission for the grade crossings, safety exercises and certifications, hiring and training of staff, running “pre-revenue service” and then finally opening the line for revenue service (among other tasks). When ready, LA Metro will announce when passenger service will begin. A start date has not yet been announced, but it is anticipated sometime in Summer 2025.
What does substantial completion mean?
Achieving substantial completion means that the entire newly constructed light rail system from Glendora to Pomona is fully functional and ready to be used as intended. Smaller, final elements of work (mostly categorized as punch list items) will be completed throughout the corridor and at the station areas through 2025, but these continuing work activities do not impact LA Metro’s ability to ready the new extension for passenger service.
Where are the new stations located?
Click below to see each station location on Google Maps.
Will there be parking, bike lockers and drop-off areas at the new stations? How many parking spaces are available at each station?
Yes. The four new stations have parking facilities built adjacent to or across the street from the station platforms with parking for about 300 cars. All station parking facilities were built to be multi-modal – and include EV chargers, bicycle parking, drop-off areas for buses and ride-sharing, along with easy access for pedestrians. At the Pomona North Station, parking will be shared with Metrolink. All operational decisions regarding parking (i.e., fees for parking, permit availability, etc.) are made by LA Metro.
How long will it take to ride the Metro A Line from the new stations to Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles?
See the table below for estimates of travel times from the new Glendora to Pomona stations:
|
|
Time in Minutes
|
|
|
|
Time to Sierra Madre Villa Station
|
Time to Union Station
|
|
Glendora Station
|
22
|
51
|
|
San Dimas Station
|
27
|
56
|
|
La Verne/Fairplex Station
|
31
|
60
|
|
Pomona North Station
|
33
|
62
|
* Travel times are approximate and will be determined by LA Metro.
How much will it cost to ride the Metro A Line? Where can I find more information on train schedules, getting to destinations, reserving bike lockers, parking fees or anything else related to riding the Metro A Line?
Questions related to the operational Metro system should be directed to LA Metro (the Construction Authority is a separate government agency from LA Metro): Metro’s customer relations is available at 1-323-Go Metro (1-323-466-3876) or customerrelations@metro.net. Train schedules and other information are also available at www.metro.net.
For other frequently asked questions you may have about the Foothill Gold Line, click here.
 Photo: Board Members (left to right) - Montclair Mayor John Dutrey, South Pasadena representative Dan Evans, Caltrans District 7 Deputy Director of Planning Marlon Regisford, La Verne Mayor Tim Hepburn, Glendora Council Member Mendell Thompson (Vice Chair), Claremont Council Member Ed Reece (Chair), Pomona Mayor and Metro Board Member Tim Sandoval, Pasadena Council Member Gene Masuda
At their February meeting today, Claremont Council Member Ed Reece and Glendora Council Member Mendell Thompson were re-elected as Chair and Vice Chair (respectively) of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board of Directors, following a unanimous vote by their peers. The re-election of Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson comes during a critical time at the Construction Authority, as the agency oversees the transition of the recently completed 9.1-mile, four-station project segment from Glendora to Pomona to LA Metro for passenger service, as well as continues the process to hire a design-build contractor to build the final 3.2-mile, two-station project segment to Claremont and Montclair.
“We have completed another chapter of the Foothill Gold Line, which will bring light rail service and all of its benefits to the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona in the coming months,” stated Chair Reece. “With 23 of the 25 planned Foothill Gold Line stations from Los Angeles to Montclair now complete, we look forward to continuing to guide the agency to its final destinations in Claremont and Montclair.”
Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson have both been on the Construction Authority board for four years, as well as having served on the project's Joint Powers Authority board for several years before that. During their tenure on the Construction Authority and Joint Powers Authority boards, the Glendora to Pomona project advanced from final design to major construction and, despite being underway in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project reached substantial completion on time and on budget in early-January 2025. Additionally, in the past year, as the procurement process to hire the design-builder for the Pomona to Montclair project was underway, Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson oversaw the Construction Authority board’s approval of the funding agreement between Metro and the Construction Authority for the allocation of $798 million from SB125 for construction of the LA County portion of the Pomona to Montclair project.
“I, along with Vice Chair Thompson, want to thank our colleagues on the board for continuing to believe, not just in our leadership, but the vision of the Foothill Gold Line reaching across county lines,” added Chair Reece. “Connecting Claremont and Montclair to the growing network of rail lines in Los Angeles County will provide a reliable and sustainable option for people traveling to and from the eastern end of Los Angeles and western end of San Bernardino Counties, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the quality of life for our region’s residents, workers, students and visitors.”
The Foothill Gold Line board is made up of elected and appointed representatives from throughout the project corridor. In addition to the Chair and Vice Chair, the board currently includes Pomona Mayor and Metro Board Member Tim Sandoval, La Verne Mayor Tim Hepburn, Montclair Mayor John Dutrey, Pasadena Council Member Gene Masuda, and South Pasadena representative Dan Evans.
 Graphic: Map of future project segment from Pomona to Montclair
The procurement process that began in March 2024 to hire the design-builder for the 3.2-mile, two-station Pomona to Montclair project segment will soon reach its next major step later this month when the bid is received by the Construction Authority.
As a reminder, late last year, the Construction Authority and Metro boards approved an amendment to the ongoing funding agreement between the agencies to allocate $798 million from SB125 for the construction of the LA County portion of the Pomona to Montclair project. SB125 is the $4 billion funding program for transit capital projects statewide that was approved by the state legislature and governor, of which the Metro board affirmed their commitment to allocating $798 million of the expected $1 billion in SB125 funds to go towards the Foothill Gold Line. This was a critical funding milestone that allowed the procurement process to continue on schedule.
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) has state and local funding allocated for the San Bernardino County portion of the project.
  Photos: (top) Book cover for The Making of Modern Los Angeles by Nick Patsaouras; (bottom) Past Foothill Gold Line art featured in the book
The iconic Gold Line Bridge in Arcadia (designed by Andrew Leicester), as well as the station art at the APU/Citrus College Station in Azusa (designed by Lynn Goodpasture), are featured in a new book, The Making of Modern Los Angeles, by Nick Patsaouras. Patsaouras, of whom the Union Station Patsaouras Transit Plaza is named, formerly served on the Metro (and its predecessor agency – the RTD) boards. Nick served Los Angeles for more than a half century, advocating for and guiding the vision of public transit in our region, along with many other civic, land use and environmental projects and policies. His new book chronicles the events, projects and decisions, along with his efforts, that transformed Los Angeles.
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
|
