Senator Portantino, Local Officials Visit Gold Line Site as Construction Begins on Extension Project
Sacramento, California – Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D–La Cañada Flintridge) on Friday had the chance to do a site visit in Glendora to see the early stages of construction on the extension of the Foothill Gold line. The extension of the Gold Line begins in Glendora and extends out to Pomona, resulting in an expansion of services of 9.1 miles, 6 stops, and 21 grade crossings. Senator Portantino was joined on the site visit by Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval, La Verne Councilmember Robin Carder, Foothill Gold Line Authority CEO Habib Balian, and the project’s on site supervisors. Mr. Sandoval is the current chair of the Foothill Gold Line Authority and Ms. Carder is a Board Member.
“I want to thank Mr. Balian and everyone at the Gold Line for this opportunity. Access to transportation is necessary for our communities to thrive and I am happy to see efforts like this that will help out our Foothill communities. Expanding access to light-rail creates a more equitable transportation network, will improve traffic in the region, and is both the environmental and economic smart choice. It was exciting to tour the construction site with Board Chair Sandoval and Councilmember Carder who are working diligently to extend this project east,” commented Senator Portantino.
During the site visit, Senator Portantino was given a firsthand look at this project that will be huge for the 25th Senate District. Cities in the district that will receive new stops due to the Gold Line Extension include Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Claremont. The project is a $1.5 billion dollar investment in the Foothill region’s transportation infrastructure resulting in the creation of thousands or jobs and billions worth of economic activity. The project was started two weeks early and is expected to be finished around 2025.
“The Gold Line Authority has long enjoyed a positive relationship with Senator Portantino and we were very pleased to share the progress and status of our latest segment under construction. The Board looks forward to continuing our productive local and state partnerships. We are very proud of our light rail and happy to share its progress,” added Mayor Sandoval.
Dating back to his time in the Assembly, Senator Portantino has long championed the expansion of the Gold Line. Long term, the Senator hopes to see the Gold Line extended out to the Ontario Airport. As the Ontario Airport continues to rapidly expand, it is imperative that more people are able to reach it easily through public transportation. This project is a step towards that goal.
