The Metro Board of Directors approved a $1.4 billion budget and partnership agreement Thursday to extend the Metro Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley another 11.5 miles east to Claremont.
The extension will be the first rail line to begin construction that is partially funded by Metro's Measure M half-cent transportation sales tax approved by Los Angeles County voters in November.
"This second phase of the Foothill Gold Line is truly significant because it's the very first Measure M transit project out of the gate," Metro board chair and Duarte mayor pro tem John Fasana said. "It will establish the early momentum we need to launch our ambitious new traffic improvement plan that will yield tremendous transportation benefits for the entire Los Angeles County area."
The project's official groundbreaking is planned for October and is expected to be open to the public by 2027. An extension from Claremont to Montclair will add about another mile when funding is secured.
"This project will create a critical new transit connection for Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire areas when it's completed," Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington said. "The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority is a great partner in helping us expand our public transportation infrastructure. We look forward to partnering with them to deliver this project on-time and on-budget."
Metro said a trip from Montclair to Pasadena should take just over 40 minutes, and a trip from Montclair to Los Angeles would be about 75 minutes.
