If you have been following the Foothill Extension project over the last year – and I know you have – you will recall that the Funding Transfer Agreement between Metro and the Construction Authority included a number of important clauses. These clauses require the Construction Authority to meet a number of milestones before the majority of the $810 million project allocation can begin to be advanced. One is the shared-use agreement between Metro and BNSF (stay tuned for updates in future posts), and the other is completion of environmental review and purchase of half the land needed for a regional light rail Maintenance and Operations Facility. As of September 23, the first important step in the environmental review is complete – the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report is out for public comment.

The Draft SEIR reviews updates on Phase 2A (Pasadena to Azusa) including review of new parking facility locations in Irwindale and Monrovia, three alternative locations for the Maintenance and Operations Facility, realignment of Mountain Avenue/Duarte Road, and reconstruction of the North Colorado Boulevard and San Gabriel River bridges. The 45-day comment period ends November 8 – and you can read the report here. Send comments to llevybuch@foothillextension.org or provide them at a public hearing next week:

Phase 2A Draft SEIR Hearing

Wednesday, October 27, 2010
5:00-6:30 p.m.
Arcadia City Hall – Council Chambers
240 West Huntington Dr.
Arcadia, CA 91007