Photo: Foothill Gold Line board members with elected regional leaders and KPJV track crew members after rail clip was installed on Saturday.
This past Saturday, the Construction Authority held a Track Completion Ceremony to celebrate the completion of major work for the new light rail track system for the 9.1-mile, four-station Foothill Gold Line light rail project from Glendora to Pomona. The celebration took place at the D Street railroad crossing in La Verne, just steps away from the University of La Verne, the County Fairplex and the future La Verne station. The event culminated in the installation of the 230,630th rail clip (rail clips permanently attach the steel rail to the concrete railroad ties), officially completing major construction for the new light rail tracks, and permanently connecting the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona via this new light rail line. An engraved, commemorative boulder to be permanently embedded in the sidewalk was also unveiled during the ceremony, recognizing the importance of the day to these corridor cities.
The project is now 72% complete overall and remains on schedule to reach substantial completion in early-January 2025, when it will be turned over to Metro for training and pre-revenue service. Metro determines when passenger service starts.
Photo: About 400 community members, project stakeholders and elected officials during the Track Completion Ceremony.
Saturday’s historic event was attended by about 400 community members, elected officials at all levels of government, the Foothill Gold Line Board of Directors, members of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors, transportation officials – including Foothill Gold Line CEO Habib F. Balian and Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins – and San Gabriel Valley stakeholders.
Below is a video recap and photo gallery of the ceremony, as well as media coverage.
Video Recap
Click here or below to watch.
Photo Gallery
To see the full gallery, click here.
Media Coverage of Track Completion Ceremony
Below are links to TV, print and blog media coverage of the historic milestone achievement:
TV Segment: KCAL 9
https://youtu.be/t7uG1F1XdUU
TV Segment: CBS 2
https://youtu.be/ZXgk3mQK9KY
TV Segment: ABC 7
https://youtu.be/xRXI-jqqK7o
TV Segment: NBC 4
https://youtu.be/COHD6RONmCM
TV Segment: Telemundo
https://youtu.be/ZLjGvX_4ghM
San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: Light-rail track from Glendora to Pomona completed, as project moves closer to opening
https://www.sgvtribune.com/2023/06/24/light-rail-track-from-glendora-to-pomona-completed-as-project-moves-closer-to-opening/
Progressive Railroading: Foothill Gold Line authority wraps up light-rail track construction
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/Foothill-Gold-Line-authority-wraps-up-light-rail-track-construction–69542
Mass Transit Magazine: Foothill Gold Line celebrates completion of major trackwork for Glendora to Pomona light-rail project
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/press-release/53064393/metro-gold-line-foothill-extension-construction-authority-foothill-gold-line-celebrates-completion-of-major-trackwork-for-glendora-to-pomona-lightrail-project
Urbanize LA: Track work completed for Foothill Gold Line extension to Pomona
https://la.urbanize.city/post/track-work-completed-foothill-gold-line-extension-pomona
Streetsblog LA: Regional Connector Opens and Track Construction Finishes on the Gold Line
https://la.streetsblog.org/2023/06/22/sgv-connect-113-regional-connector-opens-and-track-construction-finishes-on-the-gold-line
Pasadena Now: Foothill Gold Line Commemorates Completion of Major Rail Work in Historic Ceremony
https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/foothill-gold-line-commemorates-completion-of-major-rail-work-in-historic-ceremony
Metro Magazine: Foothill Gold Line Celebrates Completion of Work for New Light Rail Track System
https://www.metro-magazine.com/10201351/foothill-gold-line-celebrates-completion-of-work-for-new-light-rail-track-system