The unstoppable Gold Line, currently being stretched from Pasadena to Azusa, could one day reach Ontario Airport in San Bernardino County. That goal took a step forward today with the release of the environmental impact report for the Gold Line Foothill Extension Phase 2B, which runs from Azusa to Montclair. Like all EIRs, this one is long and unwieldy, with a lot of info about noise impacts and street crossings. The line will run 12.3 miles on a right-of-way partly owned by Metro; the tracks will partly run parallel to those used by other trains like Metrolink. Six stations will be built--Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont, Montclair--with 26 at-grade crossings, two new flyover structures, two bridges, and six station parking facilities. It will take 18 minutes to travel from Azusa to Montclair, and the extension expects 17,800 riders by 2035.
Several properties will need to be purchased in order to build the line--possibly a problem as the project does not have full funding yet. Some procedural maneuvering will likely allow funds from the Measure R transit tax to be diverted from freeway projects to the Gold Line extension, though it's likely not enough to cover the $800 million price tag. While that's all worked out, grievances may be aired on the EIR during a 45 day comment period, which includes public meetings next month in Montclair and La Verne.
· DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (DRAFT EIR) for METRO GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION FROM AZUSA TO MONTCLAIR (AZUSA TO MONTCLAIR EXTENSION) PROJECT [Foothill Extension site]
· Gold Line Foothill Extension Archives [Curbed LA]
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