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As you know, the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension is underway with final design and pre-construction. Parsons continues to advance the project design towards its next milestone of 60%, which remains on schedule to be ready for review in early January 2027. From there, the design will progress to 85% and 100% before reaching “Approved for Construction” drawings.
   Crews conducting top of rail surveys of the project corridor in September
To support the design effort, Parsons attends regular task force meetings on different project elements (track, civil, utilities, structures, stations, etc.) with Construction Authority staff and consultants, meets with the corridor cities and other third-party agencies, and continues to deploy survey crews throughout the 2.3-mile corridor to collect data on existing conditions. This month, as seen in the photos above, surveyors were out collecting “top of rail” data which will give them the existing elevation of the freight tracks. Starting in October, crews will be collecting geotechnical borings to understand the soil conditions under the project corridor and at the street crossings where future bridges will be built for the project. As a reminder, the geotechnical boring work will likely require temporary lane closures when underway at the crossings (Towne Ave., Garey Ave. and Indian Hill Blvd.).
As Parsons continues their work, SSH JV continues to support the project by providing feedback on the design, working with the Construction Authority to find ways to reduce risk and costs on the future construction effort, developing an overall construction schedule, preparing programmatic plans, conducting field reviews and developing early work package recommendations. All of this is part of the pre-construction phase of their work that will be ongoing through all of 2026 and much of 2027.
As a reminder, SSH JV is under contract for the initial pre-construction work phase and will have the opportunity to negotiate a construction contract to build the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension with a guaranteed maximum price once the design reaches 85%. That process will conclude in Fall 2027, with major construction expected to begin in late 2027 and take approximately four years.
 Construction Authority and Parsons team members meeting with SCRRA this month
This past month, the Construction Authority and members from the Parsons’s team held project design kick-off meetings with staff from the Golden State Water Co. and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (the agency that operates Metrolink service).
The purpose of the meetings was to introduce the team members, provide an overview of the project ahead, and initiate discussions regarding project work that may affect their infrastructure. These coordination meetings, and similar ones with other third-party stakeholders, will continue throughout the project to support proactive communication and planning and reduce potential for conflict and help minimize risk of delays as the project moves forward to construction.
September 19 marked the one-year anniversary of the opening of the newest A Line stations from Glendora to Pomona. To celebrate the occasion, Metro organized a sequel to the very successful inaugural “Rock the Rails” event that took place on opening day 2025.
   Photos from September 20, 2026 Rock the Rails II Event at Pomona North Station (photos courtesy of Metro)
This year’s event took place at the Pomona North Station and drew hundreds of community members to hear local bands, enjoy food and vendor at the 909 Open Market and participate in family-friendly games and activities. Above are a few pictures from this year’s “Rock the Rails II” event that took place on Saturday, September 20.
Additionally, Metro reported last week that since opening the four new stations from Glendora to Pomona one year ago, ridership on the A Line is up more than 14%, helping support a 12% increase in rail ridership systemwide over the same period the year before.
If you have been riding the A Line these past 12 months, we hope it has given you a chance to travel with a little less stress and opened up new opportunities to visit destinations throughout Los Angeles County without the need for a car. The next time you ride, remember to give yourself a few extra minutes to enjoy the unique and meaningful art installed at each of the stations.
Thank you for your interest in the Foothill Gold Line.
Lisa Levy Buch, Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer and the Public Affairs Team
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