First Phase of Gold Line Project on Track to Completion

The Gold Line Construction Authority moved closer to completing the first phase of the Gold Line extension project from Pasadena to the Azusa Glendora border when they awarded the final major contract of a nearly billion-dollar project, according to officials.

The $48.7 million design build contract went to Webcor builders for the intermodal parking facilities and enhancements project.

According to GLCA authorities, the contract keeps the project on budget and on schedule for delivering the light rail to Metro in 2015.

The alignment contractor recently completed the first of 24 bridges and is constructing numerous others in Azusa and Arcadia.

Ground has been broken on the first at-grade crossing at Highland Avenue in Duarte and Dalton Avenue in Azusa. Work is in progress on the Duarte station and the Operations Campus.

While construction remains on track to the Azusa/Glendora border, representatives are working to secure $600 million in funding for the next phase of construction from Azusa to Montclair.

In an effort to maintain Washington support for the Gold Line extension, GLCA Vice-Chair and Glendora City Councilmember Doug Tessitor said he and Habib Balian, CEO of the Gold Line Construction Authority, recently traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with U.S. representatives. The two met with representatives Ed Royce, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Judy Chu and Grace Napolitano and their constituents, as well as senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

“We wanted to educate them and bring them up to speed with [this project],” said Tessitor during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

While officials continue to lobby to secure a major shortfall, the GLCA is optimistic that work can progress in the second phase of construction, while also moving forward on preliminary work for construction to Ontario Airport.

“Hopefully we’ll find roughly a million-and-a-half dollars to provide some studies and alignment and route selection out of the San Bernardino area to the Ontario airport,” said Tessitor.