Foothill Gold Line E-News

November 2023

Glendora to Pomona Project Over 80% Complete; Four New Stations, Station Art and Parking Underway; Light Rail Power and Train Control Systems; Project Walls; Ongoing Crossing Work and Safety Improvements; Project Update Video; Pomona to Montclair Update

November was another good month on the 9.1-mile, four-station Glendora to Pomona project. The four new light rail stations continue to take shape, as work is getting underway on the associated parking facilities. Miles of overhead and underground wires and cables for the light rail power and train control systems continue to be installed; and crews are returning to various grade crossings to complete roadway and safety improvements. Meanwhile, each station’s dedicated artist/artist team remain busy working with fabricators to bring their station artwork to fruition.

Simultaneously, the Construction Authority is readying the 3.2-mile, two-station Pomona to Montclair project segment for a design-build procurement. Metro is expected to submit the project for full funding through SB125 by the end of 2023; and the Construction Authority plans to begin the 15-month process in early 2025 to hire a design-build team for the final project segment.

Read on to learn more about current construction activities.

Four New Stations Underway

Below are status updates on the various elements that make up the new light rail stations, including the platform canopies, decorative elements, communications and power systems, parking facilities, and station art. All four stations will be center platform stations, with a track on each side – one for westbound trains, and one for eastbound trains – and each station’s parking facility will feature amenities for riders arriving by bike, walking, bus and drop-off.

Glendora Station

Photos: Crews completing installation of diamond-shaped shingles atop boarding canopy (top) and glass panels atop TVM canopies (middle) at future Glendora station; (bottom) View of station with completed canopy roof elements

Crews recently completed installation of the decorative roof elements atop the canopy structures at the future Glendora station. As seen in the photos above, crews installed diamond-shaped shingles at the boarding canopy and glass panels with citrus-inspired patterns at the ticket vending machine (TVM) canopies to the west and east. These same decorative elements will be used at each of the four new stations.

Photo: Crews installing overhead catenary system pole at future Glendora station

Earlier this week, crews began installing the final set of overhead catenary system (OCS) poles for the station area, as seen in the photo above. Crews will later install the overhead wires across these poles to provide power for the future light rail trains.

Photo: Future Glendora station and adjacent parking facility

Just south of the station platform, crews have nearly cleared all of the site of the future station parking facility ahead of its construction (see photo above). The site has been utilized for many months as a lay-down area for project materials.

San Dimas Station

Photo: Crews installing overhead wires at the future San Dimas station

At the future San Dimas station, crews recently installed the overhead wires that will provide power to the future light rail trains, as seen in the photo above.

Photos: Crews installing decorative glass panels atop TVM canopy at future San Dimas station

Shortly after, the same specialized crew that installed the glass panels at the Glendora station began carrying out the same work at the future San Dimas station, as seen in the photos above. The San Dimas station has just one TVM canopy, located at the west end of the station platform by San Dimas Ave., and crews are already nearing completion on the glass panel installation.

Photo: Crews installing metal roof atop board canopy at future San Dimas station

Earlier this week, crews began installing the metal roof layer atop the boarding canopy (shown above). Once the full metal roof layer is installed, crews will install the diamond-shaped decorative shingles.

Photo: Site of future San Dimas station parking facility

Across the street and west of the future station, crews have recently completed the demolition and clearing of the former San Dimas Park & Ride lot, which will serve as the site of the San Dimas station parking facility (see photo above).

La Verne Station

Photos: (top) Future La Verne station under construction; Crews fabricating canopy columns (middle) and braces (bottom) to be installed at future La Verne station

With most of the platform completed at the future La Verne station, crews are getting ready to install the canopy structures onto the platform. At an off-site location, crews are currently fabricating the canopy parts that will soon be delivered for installation, starting first with the columns and braces (the pieces that provide additional support for the roof), as seen in the photos above.

Photos: Construction of future La Verne station parking facility underway

Just south of the future La Verne station platform, construction continues on the station parking facility. As seen in the photos above, crews are currently carrying out underground utility work throughout the site. This is the first of the four parking facilities to be underway with major construction.

Photos: (top) La Verne station artist Blue McRight and Foothill Gold Line staff meeting with fabricator; (bottom) Sample rendering of future La Verne station artwork

In addition, the same fabricator making the canopy structures will soon begin work on the La Verne station art pieces. As seen in the photo above, La Verne station artist Blue McRight recently held a meeting with the fabricator ahead of crews beginning the fabrication work on three 8-foot-tall art sculptures that will pay homage to La Verne’s history and architecture, as well as the community’s connection to water and agriculture (see drawing above).

Pomona Station

Photos: (top) Future Pomona station under construction; (bottom) Crews reconstructing the center section of the Metrolink parking lot between the future Pomona light rail station and Pomona North Metrolink station

Just south of the future Pomona station, crews continue to rebuild the existing parking area for the Pomona North Metrolink station. Late last month, crews completed the necessary work at the east section of the parking lot to allow it to reopen for use. Crews have fully closed and are now rebuilding the center section of the parking lot (see photo above) through Jan. 15, 2024, temporarily eliminating vehicle thru traffic and creating two temporary parking areas (one on the east side of the closed section and one on the west side). For information on this closure and work, click here.

To learn more about the plans for the future stations, including the station artwork, see these fact sheets: Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona.

Light Rail Power and Train Control Systems

With major work on the light rail track system complete, crews continue to install miles of overhead and underground wires and cables for the light rail power and train control systems. Each system is being constructed by separate, specialized crews that coordinate extensively with one another.

Photos: Crews installing overhead wires across the OCS poles atop the Bonita Ave./Cataract Ave. light rail bridge in San Dimas

As seen above in the Glendora station section, crews are now installing the final sets of overhead catenary system (OCS) poles for the project. Nearly all of the 350 OCS poles needed for the project are now installed, with most of the remaining poles set to be installed soon through the Pomona station area.

Throughout stretches of the corridor where the poles are fully installed, crews continue to install the overhead wires across the poles, as seen in the photos above. The overhead wires will provide power to the light rail trains when the train’s pantograph comes into contact with the wire (light rail trains run on electricity).

Photos: Crews installing underground cables for light rail system in La Verne

Crews also continue to install miles of underground cables for the power, train control and communications systems (see photo above).

Project Retaining Walls

Photo: Crews conducting finishing work on the retaining walls of the Lone Hill Ave. light rail bridge approach in Glendora

Crews are nearing completion on applying a dry finish onto the miles of decorative retaining walls that are now installed throughout the project. Some of these retaining walls are fairly large, like the one seen in the photo above at the Lone Hill Ave. light rail bridge in Glendora, and comprised of hundreds of individual concrete panels that feature citrus-inspired patterns designed by Alignment artist Christie Beniston.

Ongoing Crossing Work and Safety Improvements

Throughout the project, crews are returning to various grade crossings to complete remaining work on the roadways, sidewalks and safety improvements.

In Glendora, crews continue to implement intermittent lane closures on Route 66 between Hunters Trail and Compromise Line Rd. (click here for notice) through the end of the year to complete work on the roadway, sidewalks and bridges.

Photo: Crews working on crossing safety upgrades at the E St. crossing in La Verne

In La Verne, crews are continuing crossing safety upgrades at various crossings (see photo above at E St.).

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

Pomona to Montclair Status

The Construction Authority is currently seeking $798 million to complete the 3.2-mile project segment from Pomona to Montclair that includes the final two stations of the 25-station Foothill Gold Line program. The agency expects Metro to submit the full funding request to CalSTA by the end of this year. CalSTA is the state agency overseeing the allocation of $4 billion statewide of SB125 funding approved as part of the 2023-’24 state budget; $1 billion of which is expected to come to Los Angeles County.

In anticipation of this future funding, the Construction Authority is preparing the Pomona to Montclair project segment for a design-build procurement. The 15-month procurement process will begin in January 2024. Once funding is secured and a contractor hired, the project will take five years to build to Claremont and Montclair.

To stay updated on the upcoming Pomona to Montclair design-build and other procurements, click here to sign up for Contracting Opportunities Updates.

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