San Bernardino County transit committee votes to pursue new train service in place of Gold Line light-rail – San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

The following excerpt appeared in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on October 10, 2019. To read the full article, click here.

San Bernardino County transit committee votes to pursue new train service in place of Gold Line light-rail – San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Plans to extend the Gold Line light-rail from Pomona through Claremont and to Montclair will cost $550 million. The big rail track like ones here at the Claremont Station will need to be moved for the 12.3-mile light-rail extension from Glendora to Montclair, Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. (Photo by John Valenzuela, Contributing Photographer)

Plans to extend the Gold Line light-rail from Pomona through Claremont and to Montclair will cost $550 million. The big rail track like ones here at the Claremont Station will need to be moved for the 12.3-mile light-rail extension from Glendora to Montclair, Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. (Photo by John Valenzuela, Contributing Photographer)

By Steve Scauzillo

October 10, 2019

[excerpt]:

Signaling a change in course, a committee of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority on Thursday, Oct. 10, voted to pursue an enhanced Metrolink rail system instead of extending the Gold Line light-rail from Los Angeles County into Montclair.

This marks the first time the authority has broken with a promise to support bringing the Gold Line service over the county line. The 8-3 vote went along east-west lines, as members from Big Bear Lake, Rancho Cucamonga, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Rialto, Yucaipa and the Third Supervisorial District voted in favor of the new proposal. Those opposed represent Chino Hills, Montclair and Ontario.

Montclair City Manager Edward Starr said the vote was a blow to the city, which has invested $500 million in housing, retail and office developments near what would have been the Gold Line stop at the Montclair Transcenter, a multi-modal transit hub. He said the city’s new transit-adjacent housing in north Montclair would have provided 5,800 passengers a day to the Gold Line but an overlay of smaller trains on Metrolink tracks won’t have the same frequencies, will be less convenient, and will cost more to ride and attract fewer riders.

To read the full article, click here.

2 comments

  1. Catherine Leonard says:

    Convenience is definitely a plus, but for me, the decision is made based on economy. If my husband and I (both retired) can drive more cheaply than we can ride, I see no reason to ride on any public transit. Yes. It’s nice to know we’re reducing emissions and road congestion, but. Metro Link is both polluting, noisy and costly. Somewhere there is a happy medium.
    The elephant on the Gold Metro-line are the homeless who use the cars as sleeping quarters. I understand that also; and have had several occasions where I have called to notify ‘authorities’ of illegal or potentially dangerous behaviors. I suppose that’s the price for Metro-Link, and find it somewhat amusing that none of the politicos addressed this concern to its face.

  2. Catherine Leonard says:

    Should have said, ‘See no reason NOT to ride on public transit.’

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