Foothill Gold Line E-News
June 6, 2014
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In This E-News:
- Pasadena to Azusa Update
- Azusa to Montclair Update
- Legislative Update
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Pasadena to Azusa Update:
The nearly $1 billion Foothill Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa continues on time and on budget for a Sept 2015 turn-over to Metro. Nearly all two dozen bridge structures are now complete, and only three of the 17 at-grade crossings remain under construction. Each station is at a different phase of construction, and parking construction is underway at most stations.
Work on walls, fencing, light rail track, Overhead Catenary System poles and wiring are all evident throughout the corridor. At the nearly $300 million Operations Campus, steel continues to be raised for the main shop building and outer walls are being formed at other structures. Below are some of the latest project photos:
Irwindale Station, one of the last to begin construction, continues to take shape (photo of recent concrete pour)
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Mountain Ave, one of the last three remaining grade crossings for the project, began construction on May 11
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OCS Poles and lighting within the six miles of storage track at the Operations Campus are now installed
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Rail installation is taking place throughout the 11.5-mile corridor. Here, crews install rail near the project terminus, east of Citrus Ave in Azusa
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This week, crews completed installation of the concrete soundwalls (left and right) from the Santa Anita Wash to Mayflower Ave, Monrovia
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Maintenance of Way platforms under construction at the Operations Campus in Monrovia
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The Operations Campus will be turned over to Metro ahead of the 11.5-mile project. The Construction Authority anticipates turning the campus over to Metro in March 2015 and the entire project over in September 2015. It is important to note that Metro will decide when passenger service begins on the line.
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Azusa to Montclair Update:
In April, the Construction Authority board of directors took a crucial next step in the advancement of the Foothill Gold Line from Azusa to Montclair; they awarded the advanced conceptual engineering work to AECOM. Four teams competed for the two-year effort to support the Authority's in-house staff, which will advance the design and any necessary environmental reports for the 12.3-mile segment and prepare the project for a design-build procurement in early 2017. Work is already underway and community meetings will be set for Fall 2014.
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Legislative Update:
Metro has recently released a Draft Short Range Transportation Plan (SRTP) for public review and comment (comments are due June 18). The ten-year plan programs the spending priorities for the agency between 2014 and 2024. The plan outlines both the transit and highway capital programs, and includes updated project cost estimates and opening years for many of the Measure R projects (including the underway Pasadena to Azusa segment).
The Draft SRTP assumes billions of dollars of new funding to support accelerating completion of the Measure R transit capital program; including discussion of a potential new sales tax measure or extension of Measure R. All of the currently underfunded or later year Measure R transit capital projects are slated for acceleration and completion within the 10-year plan, with the exception of the second phase of the Foothill Gold Line (Azusa to Montclair). Completion of the Foothill Gold Line to its statute-defined endpoint is no where mentioned in the plan.
Comments are due by June 18, 2014 to Metro on the draft plan. The Construction Authority board of directors sent the following comments to Metro late last month:
Metro's Draft Short Range Transportation Plan (SRTP) identifies rail and highway capital projects to be completed over the next 10 years (2014-2024) in Los Angeles County. Both segments of the Foothill Gold Line light rail project are on schedule to be completed within that time frame, yet only one segment is included in the Draft SRTP.
The Pasadena to Azusa segment is on schedule and on budget to be completed in September 2015, when it will be turned over to Metro for testing and pre-revenue service. The Azusa to Montclair segment is environmentally cleared and undergoing advanced conceptual engineering. If construction funding is identified in the next few years, the Azusa to Claremont segment will be ready to begin design-build in 2017 and can be completed in 2022 (well within the timeframe of the SRTP).
As one of only three Measure R rail transit capital projects identified in Measure R with a defined endpoint (Claremont); and one of only two Measure R rail transit capital projects identified by the Metro board in 2009 as a "first priority" project for new funding, the full project to its statute-defined endpoint of Claremont must be included in the SRTP to meet the promise of Measure R and the direction of the Metro Board.
As drafted, the SRTP ignores the Azusa to Claremont segment, not even including completion of this second segment of the Foothill Gold Line project in the portion of the SRTP that assumes new funding becoming available.
WE, THEREFORE, MOVE that the METRO Board and staff amend the Draft Short Range Transportation Plan with the items below:
- Include completion of the Foothill Gold Line (Pasadena to Claremont) to its statute-defined endpoint of Claremont within the 10-year timeframe of the plan.
- Amend the Draft SRTP to include the Azusa to Claremont segment of the project within the "Future Projects - Transit and Highways" project list and map.
- Include the Azusa to Claremont segment for full funding in the portion of the SRTP that assumes new funding sources.
- Update the funding assumptions within the SRTP to accurately reflect completion of the project to its statute-defined endpoint of Claremont. As provided to Metro previously, the total cost estimate to complete the Foothill Gold Line (Pasadena to Claremont) is $1.86 billion, with a completion year of 2022.
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Have you checked your map lately? Learn the latest about construction in your community!
Other Easy Ways to Stay Updated:
Community Resources Available:
Arcadia
400 N. Santa Anita Ave, Suite 101-B, Arcadia, CA 91006
(Northeast corner of Santa Anita Ave and La Porte St)
Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays ONLY: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Monrovia
406 E. Huntington Dr, Suite 202, Monrovia, CA 91016
(Construction Authority Offices)
Hours: Mondays through Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Azusa
1300 W. Optical Dr, Suite 500, Azusa, CA 91702
Hours: Mondays through Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Thank you for your continued interest in the Foothill Gold Line.
Lisa Levy Buch, Director of Public Affairs
and the Public Affairs Team
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