LACMTA Foothill Extension to Claremont/MontClair completion possible by 2021
Written by jrood
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board of Directors approved an updated expenditure plan for the Foothill Extension light-rail project from Pasadena to Claremont. The expenditure plan includes an estimated cost to complete the 23-mile light-rail extension and a timeline for needing funding.
The expenditure plan is a legislative mandate, per the initiating statute for Los Angeles County’s Measure R half-cent sales tax, approved by voters in 2008.
The approved expenditure plan estimates the total project cost to complete the line to Claremont is $1.574 billion, of which $810 million has been allocated. The plan identifies a $764 million funding gap to complete construction to Claremont (the additional cost to complete the extension to Montclair, in San Bernardino County, will be dealt with separately).
“The State Legislature required the construction authorities receiving Measure R funds to prepare an expenditure plan to complete their capital projects,” said Construction Authority Board Chairman and Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor. “It is important to recognize that the voters approved the project to Claremont, but Measure R allocates enough funding to complete the project only to Azusa. The expenditure plan allows a complete estimate of what funding is needed to complete the project.”
The expenditure plan anticipates the gap funding will be needed starting in 2016, with completion to Claremont anticipated in 2021. This timeline is based on the current schedule to complete construction of the first segment of the project (Pasadena to Azusa) in late 2015 and obtain environmental clearance for the Azusa to Montclair segment later this year. It will then take a few years to complete preliminary engineering and design for the second segment before it is ready for construction.
The Construction Authority will now send the approved expenditure plan to LACMTA for use in preparing a county-wide expenditure plan for Measure R.
