Foothill Gold Line E-News

April 2020

VIDEO: Work to Ready Project for Major Construction Continues

While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the project by changing the way the Foothill Gold Line must be managed during this time (see details below about the agency’s response to COVID-19), the Kiewit-Parsons Joint Venture (KPJV) team continues to stay on schedule, as they ready the project for an early-August start to major construction.

The KPJV team continues to be out in the field collecting critical information this month – soil samples, right of way surveys and utility verification – all necessary to inform the design. Additionally, the KPJV team continues to meet regularly with the corridor cities and other project third parties (LA Metro, the County of Los Angeles, utility companies and others) to receive information about how the rail project interfaces with the infrastructure overseen by these agencies. Cities and other third parties have started to receive design packages for those project elements; packages are sent for review at the 60%, 85%, 100% and Approved for Construction (AFC) stages.

Below is a video highlighting the recent progress on the project. Click here or below to watch.

Project/Construction Baseline Schedule

In February, KPJV developed the initial Draft Baseline Schedule, which includes tens of thousands of activities anticipated over the next four years to complete the 9.1-mile, four-station Glendora to Pomona project. These activities are scheduled in several major phases of work: pre-construction, design, major construction, testing and pre-revenue service. Every activity on the job is included in the Baseline Schedule. The Construction Authority has reviewed the initial submittal and provided comments. It is anticipated that the final Baseline Schedule will be approved in the coming weeks.

The images below were presented to the community at the March Open House meetings to provide a better understanding of the Draft Baseline Schedule, as well as the schedule for grade crossing construction that will impact streets throughout the corridor. While these are not yet final, and are subject to change, they provide a good overview of what is expected and when construction may impact your neighborhood.

(click to enlarge)

Construction Authority’s Response to COVID-19

As of March 23, the Construction Authority staff and consultants from both the Monrovia and Glendora offices were all working remotely, and meetings were taking place via WebEx and other technologies that allow full coordination so the project could continue proceeding on schedule. Because infrastructure projects like the Foothill Gold Line fit within the critical infrastructure sector exemption, work is able to continue during this period; however, each organization involved, including the KPJV team, has instituted appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of their workforce (and staff is working remotely whenever possible).

While all of these changes are still relatively new, these measures are functioning well, and the project continues to advance. Importantly, the Construction Authority has reached out to our various project partners and confirmed that they will do their best to be able to accommodate the project’s needs during this period, but that some timeline requirements may be difficult to meet. We thank them for their continued efforts that are critical to the project’s success and have assured them that we will work with them to make accommodations if necessary due to the extraordinary conditions we are all working under at this time.

March Community Open Houses Were a Success

Public gatherings were still allowed in early March when the Construction Authority completed three of four public meetings, organized to update the community on the status of the project, introduce stakeholders to the KPJV team and explain how and when construction might impact them. Approximately 300 people attended the three events – conducted in Glendora, La Verne and Pomona between March 5-11. Due to the changing environment by the time of the final meeting in San Dimas, and in consultation with the city, the event was cancelled and will be rescheduled at the earliest date possible in the future.

All of the information presented at the open houses has been made available at foothillgoldline.org.

How to Stay Updated or Get Questions Answered

While the Construction Authority and KPJV project offices are closed to the public temporarily, stakeholders have access to staff during business hours (see contact information below) and project information 24/7 at foothillgoldline.org.

For Construction-Related Questions:
(626) 513-5788 / CommunityRelations@Kiewit-Parsons.com

For General Project Questions:
(626) 305-7012 / publicaffairs@foothillgoldline.org

If you haven’t already done so, we encourage everyone who may be impacted by the upcoming construction to sign up now to receive future construction alerts. It only takes a minute and will help keep you informed as the project moves into major construction later this summer. Go to foothillgoldline.org and sign up today.

Project Hits Major Milestone with the California Public Utilities Commission

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) – the agency responsible for reviewing and approving all rail grade crossings in the state – recently approved the final crossing application package for the Glendora to Pomona project. While the Construction Authority has requested a few minor modifications to some elements previously approved in other packages, approval of the final major grade crossing package was an important milestone for the project and comes in time for major construction to begin in early August.

Thank you for your continued interest in the Foothill Gold Line. We hope you are staying safe and well during this time.

Lisa Levy Buch, Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer and the Public Affairs Team