After years of being turned down, the LA Metro A Line extension, which will be the first light-rail line to cross into San Bernardino County, received state funding on Monday, July 8.
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) released close to $500 million for the 3.2-mile extension from Pomona to Claremont and Montclair in the Inland Empire. The rest of the money for the $798 million project will be allocated by the end of this year, officials said.
When built, the A Line, the longest light-rail line in the world that runs between Long Beach, downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, and soon along the eastern L.A. County foothill cities, will serve both San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County passengers, a first in the history of the agency. The line’s eastern terminus will be at Montclair Transit Center.
The construction contract award is set for spring 2025. The five-year project should be completed by 2030, said Habib Balian, CEO of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority on Monday, July 8.
“It is a great day for the Authority,” Balian said. “The timing is perfect. It gives us everything we need to get the project all the way to Montclair.”
The roughly one-mile track from the Los Angeles/San Bernardino county line to Montclair would be paid for by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). Last week, the agency confirmed it has $80 million set aside for construction, Montclair City Manager Edward Starr said on Monday, July 8.
“This project recognizes the demand in San Bernardino County for people to have light-rail service,” said Starr. The adjacent Metrolink heavy rail trains cross the county lines in six Southern California counties but passenger fares are much more expensive and the waits are about one to two hours between trains, Starr said.
The A line, like most L.A. Metro light-rail lines, has waits that range from between 8 minutes to 15 minutes. The regular fare is $1.75, with reduced fares for seniors, disabled,…
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