All aboard: Arcadia gets into training. The Metro Gold Line Station in Arcadia will have a grand opening on Saturday, March 5. The light rail Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa will be offering free rides on March 5.
Gold Line Foothill extension opens today. Timeline of history is shown. Parties begin at 10:00 AM for opening ceremony, free rides today. The $1 billion, 11.5-mile extension opens for passenger service. New stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and two in Azusa.
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension opens with big party. Thousands line up for free rides on Saturday, March 5, 2016. Jay Cohen (pictured), Santa Anita Park's legendary bugler plays a tune at the Arcadia Station.
Metro Gold Line Foothill train set to roll on March 5. The 11.5 mile extension from East Pasadena's Sierra Madre Villa Station to Azusa/Glendora border is expected to have 13,600 riders per day and trains to arrive every 12 minutes. The new stations are Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte/City of Hope, Irwindale, Azusa Downtown, and Azusa Pacific University.
All 14 at-grade rail crossings now complete for Foothill Gold Line, from Pasadena to Azusa. The at-grade crossing in Arcadia is at First Avenue and Santa Clara Street.
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension officially starts March 5. The extension runs from its current terminus at Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena to Azusa Pacific University/Citrus College Station.
Mass transit riders take preview run on 11.5 mile Gold Line Foothill extension from is current terminus at Sierra Madre Villa Station (in Pasadena) to the six new stations to the east, including Arcadia Station, Monrovia Station, Duarte Station, Irwindale Station, Downtown Azusa Station, and Azusa Pacific University/Citrus College Station. The new rail cars are stainless steel, made by Kinkisharyo, Model P3010.
The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority opened bidding yesterday on Phase 2A of the light rail's extension toward Azusa, which would make a stop in Arcadia. The project is estimated to cost more than $450 million with a completion date in 2017. Measure R guarantees full funding for the Gold Line Extension minus a gap of $500,000. With possible help from a private investment, the completion could be moved up to 2013.
Riders head to Pasadena, not Los Angeles. Ridership on the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension is surpassing expectations. The east Pasadena to Azusa/Glendora extension, which opened March 5 is carrying 4000-5000 riders on weekdays and 3800 to 4000 on Saturday and Sunday. 18 percent of the riders from Arcadia Station went to Pasadena. Other rider statistics are given.
Officials lobby for Gold Line extension funding. $764 million is needed to finish the final segment of the extension from Azusa-to-Claremont. The Gold Line Construction Authority board this week approved an updated expense plan for the entire 23-mile Pasadena-to-Claremont extension of nearly $1.6 billion, of which $810 million has already been allocated, with full completion planned for 2021. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has already funded the Gold Line's 11.5 mile, $750 million Pasadena-to-Azusa segment with Measure R revenues, but the $780 million Azusa-to-Claremont segment has yet to be funded.
Foothill Gold Line construction update. The Gold Line light rail from Pasadena to Azusa has now surpassed 85% complete. Overview of bridge construction, track completion, grade crossings, and train testing. Substantial completion of entire project remains on schedule for late September 2015, when the project as a whole will be turned over to Metro for pre-revenue service. Metro will decide when the line will open for passenger service.
Trainspotting in Arcadia. First tests of Gold Line light rail between Pasadena and Azusa start. Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension conducted the first of many clearance tests involving actual Metro Gold Line train from Sierra Madre Villa Station (in Pasadena) to Azusa. The train was a $4 million Ansaldo Breda P2250 with specialized gear to test clearances, wheel/rail interface, rail switches, and Overhead Catenary System.
Metro Foothill Gold Line crossing gates snarl traffic. Faulty part that was recalled worldwide blamed for malfunctions. There are 14 at-grade crossings throughout the 5 cities along the new extension: Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa (has two stations). Arcadia has only one at-grade crossing, but some cars were stuck at the crossing for 5 minutes or more. Each of the cities is working closely with Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority to synchronize traffic signals with train crossings to improve traffic flow.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has voted to fully fund the $690 million Gold Line Foothill Extension, from Pasadena to Azusa, and to complete it by 2014, with money from Measure R. Measure R was approved by voters in the November 2008 election. It created a half-cent county sales tax intended for transportation projects. The MTA has the funding for the first phase of the Gold Line light rail to Azusa. The first phase is an 11-mile extension that includes stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.
Gold Line bridge construction work will cause up to 20 nights of complete closures on the 210 Freeway in the next two months. The freeway bridge is the first part of the $735 million, 11.5 mile Pasadena to Azusa Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension.
Metro adds Gold Line service. Every train will run from Azusa Pacific University/Citrus College to East Los Angeles. Due to unprecedented demand, the Gold Line will run every seven minutes during peak morning and afternoon hours on weekdays. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 2, June 30, 2016 "LA Metro improves Gold Line; relieves crowding for SGV communities."
Lack of train cars may delay the openings of the Expo Line Phase 2 from Culver City to Santa Monica and the Gold Line Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa. Metro reports delivery of rail cars won't be complete until January 2017, while construction of the extensions should be done July/August (Expo) and late September (Gold Line), of 2015. The builder of the train cars is Kinkisharyo International, a Japanese company that is assembling the light rail trains in Palmdale, California. The Expo Line needs 42 cars and the Gold Line needs 15.
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension moves ahead. Contractor Kiewit Parsons is given full "notice to proceed" to build the 11.5 mile route for the light rail train from Pasadena to Azusa, with a stop in Arcadia, by a planned 2015 completion date.
The 11.5 mile light rail Gold Line extension from Pasadena to Azusa was awarded to Foothill Transit Constructors. Kiewit-Parsons, a joint venture company, will design and build the project. Funding comes from Measure R.