Last Friday, the Construction Authority hosted the Foothill Gold Line State of the Project 2016 at Pomona College in Claremont. The goal of the half-day conference was to update the nearly 200 local officials and key corridor stakeholders in attendance about the status of the planning, design, funding and timing for the Glendora to Montclair extension; as well as hear from experts in transportation, higher education, economics and real estate about how the Gold Line has influenced change along its corridor since the first segment opened for passenger service 13 years ago.

The day’s opening session provided all attendees with an update on the status of the Foothill Gold Line. The event then broke into three moderated panel discussions on several topics: transit oriented developments, higher education and station area success stories that promote higher densities, connectivity and active transportation. To watch videos of each of these panel discussions, click here.

Below is a video of the luncheon program, which featured a keynote speech by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, as well as remarks by U.S. Representatives Grace Napolitano, Judy Chu and Norma Torres – all of whom emphasized the importance of Measure M and extending the Gold Line further east.

Click here or above to play the video of the luncheon program.

Here are some highlights of the speeches during the luncheon program:

Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles (begins speaking at 6:08)
“… if there’s one thing that ties everybody together, it’s the traffic that we are stuck in. It is the time away from our families. It’s the job interviews that we miss. It’s the life that we can’t even contemplate […] This [Measure M] is really about people. It’s about stories. It’s about the quality of our life.”

John Fasana, Board Chair, Los Angeles County Metro & Council member, City of Duarte (begins speaking at 17:27)
“As we spend more time in traffic, we become more disconnected. It’s not only disconnected from going places in terms of a voluntary basis – but even the economic opportunity of connecting with job opportunities across the region.”

Grace Napolitano, U.S. Representative, 32nd Congressional District (begins speaking at 20:17)
“This Gold Line project is the most important transportation project in this community and other communities. It takes thousands of cars off the road and provides commuters affordable, safe and convenient options to get to work, shopping, school — and the Rams. It reduces smog in our community.”

Judy Chu, U.S. Representative, 27th Congressional District (begins speaking at 26:35)
“How many times have I had to travel from one end of my district to the other, from Pasadena to Claremont, during rush hour on the 210 freeway – only to be sitting there going 10 miles an hour as though we were on a parking lot. Well, far too many times have I sat there, looked at my watch and wondered whether I would ever get to my destination on time. And, the carpool lane was no better. It was still a parking lot on the carpool lane. So it’s been abundantly clear that we need to get cars off the roads by building mass transit. And that’s why I made expanding the Foothill Gold Line one of my top priorities when I went to Congress.”

Norma Torres, U.S. Representative, 35th Congressional District (begins speaking at 33:20)
“People in this room, and the media in this room, really need to understand that the people of San Gabriel Valley, Pomona Valley and the west end of San Bernardino County work together. We inch together to and from work on the 10, the 60 and the 210 freeways. Our kids play sports together, they go to school together, we go to college together. We don’t know county boundary lines. We don’t respect county boundary lines, and neither should you as transportation experts.”

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In case you missed it, click here to read the front page story that ran in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Los Angeles Daily News about the Foothill Gold Line State of the Project 2016.