Palm Drive in Azusa re-opened to pedestrian and vehicular traffic this week after being closed four months for construction of supports for three rail bridges.
Posts Tagged ‘Azusa’
Construction Authority Unveils New Interactive Construction Activity Maps
Posted by GoldLine
The Construction Authority has upgraded our website to provide more detailed information about on-going construction activities and how they might impact you. As part of the upgrade, we have introduced new interactive construction activity maps that can be viewed corridor-wide or by individual corridor city. Take a look and let us know what you think!
Click on the updated www.foothillextension.org landing page (image above), or go to your city page on the website to view the construction activity map in your area.
Foothill Extension Construction Authority approves routes for Gold Line from Azusa to Montclair; project still needs funding – The Source
Posted by GoldLineThe following blog post originally appeared on The Source on March 7, 2013.
Foothill Extension Construction Authority approves routes for Gold Line from Azusa to Montclair; project still needs funding
By Steve Hymon
The Board of the Construction Authority on Wednesday approved the route, which covers 12.3 miles along an existing rail corridor from Glendora to Montclair with stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair.
The Gold Line is currently being extended from eastern Pasadena to the Azusa/Glendora border — that part of the project is being paid for by the Measure R sales tax increase approved by L.A. County voters in 2008. This is the second phase of that project, which is in Metro’s long-range plan. As the news release notes, funding will need to be found in order to build this part of the project.
It’s an intriguing project. If completed, the Gold Line could eventually run all the way from Montclair to downtown Los Angeles and then to Long Beach via the Regional Connector project (not to mention the other leg of the Gold Line from Union Station to East L.A. and eventually either South El Monte or Whittier). The trip from Montclair to Old Town Pasadena is estimated to take about 40 minutes — it would an alternative to the increasingly congested 210 freeway — and from Montclair to downtown Los Angeles about 64 to 70 minutes depending on the station in downtown.
Here’s the final environmental study for the project. And below is the news release from the Foothill Extension Construction Authority, the independent agency that is planning and will build the project:
MONROVIA, CA – At their meeting last night, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority) board of directors approved the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project from Azusa to Montclair. The 12.3-mile light rail extension includes future stations in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair; as well as two new grade-separated crossings (at Lone Hill in Glendora and Towne Avenue in Pomona). Continue reading.
Don’t Give Up on Gold Line to Montclair and Ontario Airport – Curbed LA
Posted by GoldLineThis post originally appeared in the Curbed LA Blog on March 4, 2013.
Don’t Give Up on Gold Line to Montclair and Ontario Airport
Monday, March 4, 2013, by Neal Broverman
Even though Metro starved the Gold Line extension to Montclair by giving other transit projects higher priority (i.e., money), hope isn’t lost. Members of the Gold Line Construction Authority–which is currently extending the light rail from Pasadena to Azusa–recently traveled to DC and lobbied Congressfolk and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer for money or bonds for the project, which would stretch the Gold Line even further east (and allow for a one-seat train ride from Santa Monica Long Beach to Montclair when the Regional Connector is built). Glendora city councilmember and GLCA board member Doug Tessitor is also lobbying for money to get the ball rolling on connecting the train to Ontario Airport, reports the Glendora Patch: “Hopefully we’ll find roughly a million-and-a-half dollars to provide some studies and alignment and route selection out of the San Bernardino area to the Ontario airport,” he says.
While the Expo Line extension appears to be moving more quickly than the Gold Line extension, the latter project is still on track to open in just two years–even though just one of 24 needed bridges has been completed. But “Ground has been broken on the first at-grade crossing at Highland Avenue in Duarte and Dalton Avenue in Azusa” as well, and “Work is in progress on the Duarte station and the Operations Campus.”
The construction authority recently awarded the final contract for the Azusa extension–they hired Webcor to build parking facilities and other enhancements. [Image of construction in Duarte via I Will Ride's Facebook page]
Construction Update, Picture of the Week and Closure Reminder
Posted by GoldLine
FTC crews move forward with third party utility relocation near the future Azusa-Alameda Gold Line station.
REMINDER: Foothill Blvd (between Vernon Ave and Orange Ave) will be closed in both directions on Friday, January 18 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. For more details on this and other construction alerts please click here.
Construction Update and Picture of the Week
Posted by GoldLine
Work at the Gold Line Operations Campus continues as FTC crews install shoring columns for the facility’s north retaining wall.
Closure Reminder and Picture of the Week
Posted by GoldLine
FTC crews continue work at Colorado Blvd in Arcadia, where a new dual-track light rail bridge is under construction.
REMINDER: Colorado Blvd is closed between San Antonio Rd and Santa Anita Ave through April 2013.
Gold Line Bridge Coverage Recap
Posted by GoldLine
Below is a recap of some of the articles and posts written about the Gold Line Bridge since its completion last month:
Public celebrates completion of new Gold Line Bridge in Arcadia – The Source
Gold Line Bridge in Arcadia is a massive piece of art – SoCal Public Radio
Gold Line bridge captures local heritage, history – SGV Tribune
Gold Line Bridge Shows Off Its “Sensuous” Finished Form – Curbed LA
Functional Art – Arroyo Monthly (pages 25-29)
When freeways meet fine art – KCRW: Which Way, LA?
gold line bridge by andrew leicester completed – Design Boom
Gold Line Foothill Extension Bridge is complete! – The Source
LOOK: Gold Line Rail Bridge is California History “With Some Artistry” – Transportation Nation
The Snake Belly Bridge is Now Done – Monrovia Now
Video Tour: Gold Line Bridge Unveiled – Monrovia Patch
A Q&A with Gold Line Bridge Artist Andrew Leicester – Arcadia Patch
Artist to unveil Metro Gold Line bridge design in Arcadia – LA Times
Gold Line 210 bridge preview – Arcadia’s Best
Last touches put on year-long Gold Line bridge project – Pasadena Star-News
Colorado Bridge Demo – Pasadena Star-News Gallery
Posted by GoldLineThe following photo gallery was originally posted on the Pasadena Star-News website on January 7, 2013.
Photos: Crews demolishing abutments to Colorado Boulevard bridge in Arcadia for Foothill Gold Line Extension
FTC (Foothill Transit Constructors) crews demolish the existing abutments, as well as the backfill soil, at the Colorado Boulevard bridge in Arcadia, one of 23 structures and bridges along the 11.5 mile Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa, Monday, January 7, 2013. Colorado Boulevard, between San Antonio Road and Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia closed Monday to thru-traffic, 24 hours a day for the next four-and-a-half months to allow for construction of the new Gold Line railroad bridge over Colorado Boulevard.
All images courtesy of Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News
Gold Line work prompts Colorado Boulevard closure in Arcadia – SGV Tribune
Posted by GoldLineThe following article originally appeared in the January 5, 2013 edition of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
Gold Line work prompts Colorado Boulevard closure in Arcadia
By Brenda Gazzar, Staff Writer
ARCADIA – Colorado Boulevard between Santa Anita Avenue and San Antonio Road began a nearly five-month closure Monday to allow for the building of the first of three bridges on the city’s streets needed for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension.
The Colorado Boulevard bridge is one of more than 20 bridges being rebuilt or modified for the $735 million, 11.5-mile Foothill extension from Pasadena to Azusa.
The stretch of Colorado Boulevard will be fully closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle or any other traffic allowed through April 30, officials said.
“It’s a big deal,” said Habib Balian, chief executive officer of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.
“Arcadia has several different impacted bridges that will be significant to the community. They are going to be cumbersome. They are going to be disruptive to the community during construction. We’re trying to get everyone ready for that … Once we get in and out, it will be done and the long-term benefits will be huge for Arcadia.”
The work will be performed by Foothill Transit Constructors, a Kiewit-Parsons joint venture, generally from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m weekdays and periodically on the weekends, officials said.
During the nearly 5-month closure, residences and businesses in that area will have to be accessed by using San Juan Drive or San Rafael Road instead of Colorado Boulevard.
Right and left turn lanes from Colorado Place onto West Colorado Boulevard will be fully closed. Thru-traffic will be detoured to Colorado Place and Santa Clara Street, officials said.
The old Santa Fe freight line bridge on Colorado Boulevard was removed last year and the 210 Freeway Bridge, under a separate contract, has also been completed. But this is a significant construction effort within the city for the actual Gold Line alignment, said Arcadia City Engineer Phil Wray.
“They’ve done a lot of prep work but this is probably the first actual construction effort in the city and this will carry on for the next 1.5-to two years,” Wray said. “This is just the start.”
Both the left and right turn lanes from Colorado Place onto Colorado Boulevard will be completely closed, Wray said. The reason is that in the past, when the street was left partially open to residents, commuters disregarded the signs, drove into that neighborhood, caused a big traffic jam and discovered they could not get out, Wray said.
While “a couple” of neighbors have expressed concerns about the closure at Colorado Place and Colorado Boulevard, residents there are generally supportive of the project, said Lisa Levy Buch, a Construction Authority spokeswoman.
Once the Colorado Boulevard bridge is complete in April, another Gold Line bridge will be built across Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia at the railroad tracks, which is a six-month project. Work on the Huntington Drive bridge around Second street is expected to commence in November with an anticipated completion date of February 2014, she said.
The Construction Authority has opened a new Arcadia community office at 400 North Santa Anita, Suite 101B that is open Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The purpose of the office is to “make it easy for people to walk in and ask questions,” Buch said.
Residents with questions or concerns can also call the Foothill extension’s project hotline at 626-324-7098.
brenda.gazzar@sgvn.com
626-657-0988
