The following article and podcast appeared in Streetsblog LA on February 2, 2017.

#DamienTalks SGV 27 – Habib Balian and the Next Gold Line Foothill Extension

The Foothill Gold Line pulling into Arcadia (Streetsblog LA)

By Damien Newton

February 2, 2017

PODCAST LINK: http://la.streetsblog.org/2017/02/02/damientalks-sgv-27-habib-balian-and-the-next-gold-line-foothill-extension/

Today, #DamienTalks with Habib Balian, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. Last week, the Construction Authority’s board of directors approved a construction schedule that was characterized as both a milestone for the project and a delay from the original time schedule pending your news source.

Regardless of you point of view on the schedule, there is no denying that the extension of the Gold Line all the way to Montclair in San Bernadino County is going to happen. It might take eight years, but groundbreaking is going to begin this October and over 90% of the funding for the project is already in place thanks to Measure M in Los Angeles County and Measure I in San Bernadino County.

Before we finish our talk, I give Balian a chance to respond to our most recent podcast with Wes Reutimann, the executive director of Bike SGV. Reutimann pointed out that demand for bike lockers is much higher than the lockers supplied at the recently completed Gold Line Foothill extensions. Balian offered verbal support for building more bike facilities and encouraged activists to continue the conversation on bike parking and access throughout the next several months.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”