Perched outside the Metro headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles, Metro CEO Phil Washington and Metro Chairman and County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas announced Thursday when Gold Line Foothill Extension Service to Azusa will begin.
Passenger service to Azusa will officially start Saturday, March 5, 2016.
“It’s a big deal. $1 billion has been invested in a line that will carry our riders 12 more miles east,” said Ridley-Thomas at the Los Angeles press conference. “This new route … is expected to take over 13,000 people off the road each and every day.”
Representatives from the Foothill Gold Line Corridor cities present at the announcement included former Glendora Council member Doug Tessitor and current City Council member Gene Murabito.
Metro will conduct pre-revenue service along the 12-mile extension from Pasadena to Azusa, which includes testing of the rail, maintenance and safety, Washington said.
“When this opens … it will bring the official number of Metro rail to 99 miles and brand new communities in the San Gabriel Valley.
Meanwhile, the Metro board received a report on the draft 2017 Long Range Transportation Plan, which detailed the possible November, 2016 tax measure which, if passed, could fund the Foothill Extension through Glendora to Claremont, said Foothill Construction Authority CEO Habib Balian.
The Claremont extension is proposed to cost $1.019 billion.
