Foothill Gold Line Leadership Stays in Place as 2024 Begins

Claremont Council Member Ed Reece remains Board Chair for a third year; and Glendora Mayor Mendell Thompson remains Board Vice Chair for a second year

MONROVIA, Calif., Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At their January meeting today, Claremont Council Member Ed Reece and Glendora Mayor Mendell Thompson began a new year as Chair and Vice Chair (respectively) of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board of Directors, after being unanimously reelected last month by their peers. The two local elected officials lead the agency at a critical time. The westernmost 9.1-mile, four-station project segment from Glendora to Pomona is currently more than 80 percent complete with construction; and the agency is beginning the process to hire a design-build contractor to build the final 3.2-mile, two-station project segment that includes the Claremont and Montclair stations.

"I believe this year will be an historic year for the Foothill Gold Line, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we are making," stated Chair Reece. "We will complete construction on the four-station segment from Glendora to Pomona and be ready to turn it over to Metro the first week of 2025; by the end of this year, the Construction Authority will also be close to hiring the contractor to build the final two-station segment – bringing us one major step closer to completing the agency's legislative mandate."

Chair Reece and Vice Chair Thompson have both been on the board for several years. During their tenure, the project segment from Glendora to Pomona has advanced from final design into major construction. And despite being underway in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction segment remains on budget and on schedule to be completed in early-January 2025. Additionally, in 2023 the final project segment from Pomona to Montclair was named LA County's number one priority for state funding and was included in late December 2023 for full funding as part of LA Metro's SB125 funding request. In 2024, the Construction Authority will begin the 15-month process to hire a design-build contractor to complete the final project segment, which will connect riders to more of the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire.

"Completing this project is essential to the future of this corridor and to the region," added Chair Reece. "It will expand mobility opportunities by providing a reliable and sustainable transit option that connects people to where they are traveling each day - reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the quality of life for our residents, workers, students and visitors. I know I speak for Vice Chair Thompson as I thank our colleagues for their continuing confidence in us and for their continuing dedication that ensures the vision of this important project is fully realized."

The Foothill Gold Line board is made up of elected and appointed representatives from throughout the project corridor. In addition to the Chair and Vice Chair, the board currently includes Pomona Mayor and Metro Board Member Tim Sandoval, La Verne Mayor Tim Hepburn, Ontario Council Member Alan Wapner (non-voting), Pasadena Council Member Gene Masuda (non-voting), and South Pasadena representative Dan Evans (non-voting). The City of Los Angeles and Governor appointees are currently vacant.

About the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority – The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design and build the Metro Gold Line light rail system (now referred to as the Metro A Line) from Union Station to Montclair. The agency completed the first segment from Union Station to Pasadena in 2003 and the Pasadena to Azusa segment in 2015; both on time and under budget. The agency began work on the Glendora to Montclair segment in 2003. The Glendora to Montclair segment was environmentally cleared in March 2013 under CEQA and again in 2019 to allow the potential for phased construction. When completed, the project will add new light rail stations in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair. The project is being built in phases due to funding constraints. Major construction on the project segment from Glendora to Pomona began in July 2020 and is on schedule to be completed in early-January 2025. Funding for the segment from Pomona to Montclair, including the Claremont and Montclair stations, is being sought through the State of California SB125 program and is expected to be fully funded in the next few years. San Bernardino County is responsible for funding the portion of the project in San Bernardino County.

The current construction project from Glendora to Pomona is funded mostly by Los Angeles County's Measure M, along with residual funds from Measure R not used to complete the Pasadena to Azusa segment. The State of California has also provided a greenhouse gas reduction grant to support the project.

SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority