Foothill Gold Line E-News

April 2021

UPDATES: Grade Crossings; Bridge Construction; Glendora Station; Relocated Freight Track Installation; April Project Update Video

Five Grade Crossings Now Under Construction

Photos: (Top) Crews removing old freight track as part of Vermont Ave. grade crossing reconstruction; (Bottom) Crews closing E St. grade crossing for reconstruction.

This past week, crews began reconstructing the grade crossings at Vermont Ave. in Glendora (April 9) and E St. in La Verne (April 12). Both crossings are located just west of their respective future Gold Line stations, and, together with the other three crossings currently underway, brings the total number of active grade crossing reconstructions to five. The other three currently taking place are: Elwood Ave. in Glendora, Eucla Ave. in San Dimas and Fulton Rd. in La Verne/Pomona.

As part of the Vermont Ave. grade crossing reconstruction, W. Ada Ave. is now permanently closed and will be turned into a cul-de-sac at Vermont Ave. This permanent closure is required by the California Public Utilities Commission for safety.

Photos: (Top) Elwood Ave. grade crossing reconstruction in Glendora; (Bottom) Eucla Ave. grade crossing reconstruction in San Dimas.

At all five crossings, crews will complete underground utility work, including relocating and protecting water, sewer, communications, power and gas lines – before work will begin above ground to install the track and safety systems, as well as rebuild the streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

Photo: Fulton Rd. grade crossing reconstruction in La Verne/Pomona

At the Fulton Rd. grade crossing in La Verne/Pomona, crews have begun building a temporary freight track that will allow freight service to resume in June, and are nearing completion on all underground utility work. The crossing is directly adjacent to the Thompson Creek freight bridge construction that is currently taking place. Crews will have to complete the western abutment (or support structure) of the Thompson Creek freight bridge before work can be started on the Fulton Rd. roadway, curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Crews will also be installing one of the two light rail tracks before the street reopens later this month.

The Fulton Rd. crossing is anticipated to reopen to the public in a few weeks; however, a second closure will be required to allow crews to install the remaining elements of the light rail system and relocate the freight track onto the Thompson Creek bridge (once it is completed).

Upcoming Street Closures in Glendora

In May, once Elwood Ave. reopens, crews plan to begin reconstructing the Pasadena Ave. and Loraine Ave. grade crossings in Glendora. Both reconstructions will require full closures of the streets at the railroad crossing to vehicles and pedestrians for approximately six months.

More information on these closures will be made available in the coming weeks. If you know anyone who may be impacted by these upcoming closures, they are encouraged to sign up for Construction Alerts at www.foothillgoldline.org.

San Dimas Wash Bridge: Out With the Old (Structure) – In With the New!

Photo: Crews demolishing old freight bridge at San Dimas Wash in Glendora

Significant progress has been made constructing the new light rail and freight bridge structures over San Dimas Wash in Glendora.

Photo: Crews installing first of two 87-foot-long steel girders for new freight bridge over San Dimas Wash

In late March, crews successfully demolished the freight bridge that had been in use for more than 100 years (photo above) and began work on abutments (which are the supports on both sides of the structure) for a new freight bridge. This week, with work completed on the abutments, crews began installing steel girders, each weighing in at 150,000 pounds and spanning more than 87 feet in length. The girders will carry the freight tracks over San Dimas Wash (photo above).

Work is now underway on the abutments for the new light rail bridge that will be located just east of the freight bridge at this location.

Bridge Foundation Work in Glendora, La Verne and Pomona

Photos: Crews constructing foundations for new bridge structures over Live Oak Wash (top) and Puddingstone Channel (bottom) in La Verne

Elsewhere along the corridor, work is underway on the foundations for new bridge structures over Big Dalton Wash in Glendora, Puddingstone Channel and Live Oak Wash in La Verne, and Thompson Creek in Pomona. Two bridge structures will be built at each site – one for light rail, and one for freight – with the exception of Thompson Creek, which will only have a bridge structure for freight.

As mentioned previously, work must be completed on the western abutment of the Thompson Creek bridge before crews can begin work on the roadway, curbs, gutters and sidewalks as part of the adjacent Fulton Rd. grade crossing reconstruction – and allow the street to reopen.

Photo: Crews building foundation for Thompson Creek bridge in Pomona

In total, crews will build or renovate 19 bridge structures for the light rail and freight systems from Glendora to Pomona. While many of the bridges will cross water channels, four new light rail bridges will be built over major streets: Foothill/Grand, Route 66 and Lone Hill Ave. in Glendora; and Bonita/Cataract in San Dimas. Work will be underway at these locations for the next few years. See construction notices here with details.

Glendora Station Construction

Photo: Glendora station pedestrian undercrossing and ramp to future station platform

At the site of the future Glendora station, crews continue to make significant progress constructing the pedestrian undercrossing that will provide riders safe access to the future station platform from surrounding streets and the future station parking facility without having to cross tracks.

Recently, crews unveiled portions of the ramp walls with the completed custom form panels that feature a citrus peel design. Riders will see the design as they utilize the ramp to access the station.

Photo: Riders will see these custom form panels with a citrus peel design on the ramp to the station platform

Relocated Freight Track Installation in Glendora

Photo: Crews installing relocated freight track in Glendora

KPJV has been able to accelerate relocation of the freight track within the city of Glendora, as a result of an agreement to suspend freight service temporarily in this area.

As seen in the photo above, work is well underway to relocate approximately five miles of freight track, between Barranca Ave. and Gladstone St., ahead of freight service resuming in this area in June.

To see more of these and other activities that took place this past month, click here or below to watch the April 2021 project highlight video.

SAVE THE DATE: Virtual Community Meeting on May 19, 2021

Graphic: Artist renderings of future stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona

With major construction in full swing on the Foothill Gold Line from Glendora to Pomona, the Construction Authority is hosting a Virtual Community Meeting on May 19, 2021, to provide an update on the project and to answer questions. The meeting will focus on the Glendora to Pomona segment, but the community from throughout the Glendora to Montclair project area is invited and welcome to attend.

More information will be provided in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

Thank you for your continued interest in the Foothill Gold Line. Our entire team hopes you continue to stay safe and healthy.

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