To visit the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Website click here.

The Journey Continues...

Updates from Habib Balian

CEO, Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority

January 10, 2010 --

This is exciting news, especially at a time when the latest national job numbers are showing the U.S. continuing to lose jobs and unemployment staying at record levels. The story below from this weekend's Whittier Daily News quotes LAEDC's founding economist Jack Kyser highlighting our project as part of the good news in what he says is still "a very troubled labor market." The reporter highlights the underemployment rate, which went up to 17.3% in December.

For the Construction Authority, these conditions push us to continue our efforts to build the project in the next three years. However, that schedule is contingent on reaching a number of critical milestones this month and over the coming months.

This month, we must finalize the terms for the Fund Transfer Agreement between the Construction Authority and Metro, and receive approval of the terms by both agencies' Board of Directors. This will allow the Construction Authority to move forward as planned later this month with procurement of design-build-finance teams to construct the project. As important as moving forward on the term sheet this month is the continuing efforts of the city of Monrovia to study and environmentally clear land near their future station for a Maintenance and Operations Facility (a condition that needs to be met before Metro can operate the line).

I continue to be asked about the status of the term sheet from many stakeholders. The Construction Authority provided Metro with a revised draft term sheet for the Fund Transfer Agreement in December, and the agencies will meet again later this week to discuss any outstanding issues. We are hopeful that any issues can be quickly resolved to meet the needs of both agencies and allow both boards to approve the term sheet at their January 28 meetings.

As you know, the term sheet is just the first step in a number of important agreements that must be completed over the coming months. These agreements detail the on-going relationship of the two agencies, finalize design criteria, formalize the transfer of $851 million between FY2010 and FY2019 (the funding schedule adopted last October in the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan) and more. Each is critical to keeping to our schedule.

This week's meeting with Metro officials will certainly provide a better understanding of where we stand and we will continue to keep you updated on our progress.

Whittier Daily News

January 8, 2010

Job losses continue to mount

By Kevin Smith

The nation's employment picture continues to look grim.

Figures released Friday show employers shed 85,000 jobs in December, capping a disastrous year in which 4.2 million U.S. employees suddenly found themselves out of work.

The nation's unemployment rate held steady at 10 percent, but fierce competition for jobs kept more than half a million people out of the market.

"You still have a very troubled labor market," said Jack Kyser, founding economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. "Many businesses are having trouble getting bank loans, and the Obama administration is trying to work through this."

Companies are reluctant to hire because of economic conditions and because of possible cost hikes that may occur with a health care overhaul and new environmental laws, he said.

A jobless rate of 10 percent is bad enough. But when discouraged workers and part-time employees who would prefer full-time jobs are figured in, the so-called "underemployment" rate for December rose to 17.3 percent, from 17.2 percent in November.

That's just below a revised figure of 17.4 percent in October, the highest on records dating from 1994.

"If you hire someone and then have to lay them off, that's expensive because it adds to the company's unemployment insurance fund," Kyser said. "And temporary jobs are really not on your payroll."

Kyser said some manufacturing firms are opting to give employees additional hours as opposed to hiring more workers. That allows them to accommodate a bigger workload without taking on the expense of added payroll and insurance costs, he said.

All of this has taken a heavy toll on jobseekers who are struggling to find work in a fiercely competitive job market.

"When you lose your position - and on top of that you're in a job market that is very difficult - it's easy for that to drag you down," said Gary Kaplan, president of Gary Kaplan & Associates, a Pasadena-based executive search firm.

"But if you allow that to happen, you are not going to do well. Employers don't hire people who are walking around with their tail between their legs. They are looking for people with energy, people who are entrepreneurial and competitive."

Revisions to the previous two months' employment data showed the economy actually generated 4,000 jobs in November, the first gain in nearly two years. But the revisions showed it also lost 16,000 more jobs than previously estimated in October.

"One word sums it up: Disappointment," said Jonathan Basile, an economist at Credit Suisse.

The drop in the labor force, Basile said, "tells me that Main Street doesn't believe there's a recovery yet, because they're not out looking for jobs yet."

Progressive Products Co., a South El Monte business that does custom manufacturing, had a tough go of it in 2009, according to owner Mike Quinn.

"In May, we stopped dead in the water," he said. "I thought that was going to be the end. But then things started picking up, and now I'm back up at full speed."

Quinn said many of the other companies he comes in contact with are laboring to stay afloat.

"Everybody is struggling," he said. "It ain't over yet."

Still, there are signs the economy is beginning to rebound, according to Kyser.

"We're seeing an increase in international trade," he said. "There have been more exports at our California and Long Beach ports. Inventories are picking up and we're seeing a moderate pickup in imports. That's good news for the San Gabriel Valley."

Kyser said heavy construction work is also under way at several Southland airports as various expansion projects move forward, and work will also be starting on the Gold Line Foothill Extension.

That will extend the light passenger rail system from Sierra Madre in east Pasadena to Citrus College in Glendora.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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December 21, 2009 --

More than 150 people attended the Foothill Extension 2009 State of the Project last Friday. The day included informational sessions on the status and funding of the project, an overview of station art from Phase 1, and the unveiling of the conceptual design for the Iconic Freeway Structure (IFS).

Special guests included Congressional Members Judy Chu, David Dreier and Adam Schiff; California State Assemblyman Dr. Ed Hernandez, Senator Carol Liu, and Transportation Commissioner Larry Zarian; Metro Chairman Ara Najarian; many of the corridor's Mayors and City Council Members; and the Construction Authority Board of Directors.

A highlight of the event was the luncheon keynote speeches by the three Congressional Members. They focused their remarks on past, present and future efforts and challenges in making the line a reality, and emphasized that we can be successful by continuing to work together. They discussed the bipartisan letter sent to Metro in October (a map of the Representatives' districts who supported the letter is attached here), and how that reflected the desire of many of their colleagues to work in unison to get federal funding to complete Measure R projects in all areas of the county.

During lunch, Los Angeles City Councilman and Construction Authority Board Member Ed Reyes discussed the importance of the line to his District, and thanked Monrovia for offering land in their city for the pre-requisite maintenance and operations facility. The Councilman also sent a letter to Metro Chairman Ara Najarian urging his leadership in making sure that opportunities like the Monrovia site are not lost, an issue that will either make or break the possibility of a 2013 opening of the line to Azusa.

The event (highlighted in Saturday's Pasadena Star News story below) was a fitting end to a year that has been filled with significant progress for the project, and a decade of work by the Construction Authority. Early next year, I am hoping to be able to report positive news about the Fund Transfer Agreement (FTA), of which the Term Sheet needs to be approved by both the Metro and the Construction Authority Boards in January to meet our June 2010 ground breaking. Progress on this, and the agreement between Metro and Monrovia, will be needed early next year.

For now, I hope you have a safe and restful remainder of your holidays.

____

Officials unveil new Gold Line bridge design, discuss project's time table
By Dan Abendschein, Staff Writer

Posted: 12/18/2009 05:02:36 PM PST

Iconic Freeway Structure artist Andrew Leicester looks over an architectural model of the proposed Metro Goldline Extension bridge that will cross over the 210 Freeway in Arcadia. He is pictured here at the State of the Project meeting at the Glendora Country Club Dec. 18, 2009. (SGVN/Staff photo by Leo Jarzomb)

GLENDORA - Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority officials Friday unveiled a San Gabriel Valley-themed design for a rail bridge honoring local wildlife and native cultures.

The 739-foot bridge will stretch diagonally across the Foothill (210) Freeway to Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia. It will be adorned by four basket-shaped columns that pay tribute to the basket-weaving of local indigenous peoples, specifically the Chumash who lived along the coast. The columns will contain bright lights to illuminate the dark area under the bridge. The bridge itself will have individual grooves, like the scales of a snake, to honor local wildlife, said artist and designer Andrew Leicester.

The design was one of many Leicester had conceptualized, but its selection received approval from both the Foothill Extension board and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). "I had lots of other ideas and designs, but this is the one that got the best reception," he said.
Officials estimate the bridge will cost $20 million to $25 million.

The art was announced at a 10-year celebration of the Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority, the construction group charged with building the Gold Line. Congressional representatives and various San Gabriel Valley council members attended the celebration at the Glendora Country Club.
Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, saw the new bridge design for the first time. He said it initially didn't remind him of the San Gabriel Valley.
"Not right off the bat, but now that I look at it, it's very creative," said Dreier, viewing a scale model of the design.

Speeches on Friday mainly focused on keeping the first phase of the extension, to the Azusa-Glendora border, on track. Officials hope to get construction going in June 2010, with an eye on completion by 2013. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees funding for the project, lists the project's completion date as 2017.

Several speakers Friday described the struggle between the two agencies in epic terms, with one official quoting Abraham Lincoln on fighting on for a just cause. Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte, likened the construction authority's efforts to complete the line to a battle with the MTA.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, quoted another U.S. president. "I'm reminded of the words President Ronald Reagan had about the Soviet Union - 'trust but verify'. In the case of the MTA, it's trust but verify, then reverify," he said.

The next expected hurdle for the project, according to extension authority CEO Habib Balian, is an MTA board vote in January on a schedule for transferring Measure R funds to the Gold Line project over the next decade. With that in place, the authority could go forward with an agreement with a contractor willing to pay up-front construction costs and be repaid as Measure R funds trickle in over the years.

If no agreement is in place by January, the authority will not be able to begin construction by June 2010, said Balian.

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(626) 962-8811, Ext. 4451

December 9, 2009 --

Yesterday the Los Angeles Times ran a front page story on the schedule delays and budget overruns occurring with the Expo Phase 1 project, currently under construction from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City. The article (see below) states that the project is $220 million over budget and a year behind schedule, and that the cost overruns may go higher as project delays continue.

I have received a number of concerned calls and e-mails about the article, in particular about the following excerpt:

MTA officials said they do not yet know how the agency will pay for more Expo Line costs if needed or whether those costs would eat into money slated for other projects, which include a subway along Wilshire Boulevard and an extension of the Gold Line east into the San Gabriel Valley.

You may recall that during the Metro Board Long Range Transportation Plan discussion in October, board members specifically discussed precluding the agency (Metro) from taking money from a project in one area of the county to pay for a project in another area. The discussion focused around this very scenario. However, the final adopted resolution did not include any specific language or policy directive prohibiting such actions.

We are therefore following this important issue closely and will advise you of any recommended changes to the amount or schedule of dedicated Measure R funding for the Foothill Extension. Currently, the adopted plan includes $851 million to be allocated between 2010 and 2019 for construction of the line, purchase of rail cars and development of a maintenance facility.

The rail line from downtown L.A. to Culver City is $220 million over budget and a year behind schedule. Officials hope to open part of the route next year.

By Ari B. Bloomekatz

December 8, 2009

The Expo Line, the first rail project into the traffic-clogged Westside, is $220 million over its original budget and more than a year behind schedule, with officials saying additional delays and costs are possible.

The line was supposed to open this summer, running from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City at a cost of $640 million.

But the price tag has risen to $862 million, and transit officials say their goal for next year is to open just a portion of the route -- only as far west as Crenshaw Boulevard.

It is unclear what the ridership for such a short line would be, but it probably would be considerably less than the full run to Culver City. Officials are unsure when the Expo Line will reach Culver City or how much the total cost will be upon completion.

Richard Thorpe, chief executive of the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, said that although he hopes $862.3 million will be the final price tag, the project possibly could need tens of millions of additional dollars.

The construction authority, which is building the line, receives its money through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and has contracted with a group of construction firms to perform the work.

The firms and the construction authority are at odds over which is responsible for some of the project's delays. Depending on how that dispute is resolved, it could further raise the project's cost, officials said.

The 8.6-mile line has been touted by planners as a fast and cost-effective route for rail service to the Westside because it is being built mostly on an abandoned Southern Pacific right-of-way.

But a variety of factors have held up what was supposed to be a relatively quick project and added to the costs. Among them: construction delays where the Expo and Blue lines meet on Flower Street, the decision to add a station at USC and safety improvements required next to public schools along the route.

The problems with the Expo Line come at a difficult time for the MTA, which is now trying to build new rail lines with federal money and revenues from a transportation sales tax that L.A. County voters approved last year.

MTA officials said they do not yet know how the agency will pay for more Expo Line costs if needed or whether those costs would eat into money slated for other projects, which include a subway along Wilshire Boulevard and an extension of the Gold Line east into the San Gabriel Valley.

The delays are prompting concern from communities along the route and elsewhere on the Westside, which was supposed to be a main beneficiary of the Expo Line.

Westside officials said they are reconsidering how to build the western portion of the line given the problems with the first construction phase.

"The contracting process is going to be done very, very differently," said Culver City Councilman Scott Malsin, who is on the Expo Line Construction Authority board.

Officials said they lack a breakdown on what the cost increases could be, but reports from the construction authority have said that "there are a number of areas that pose significant risk to the budget."

One of the more vexing problems is occurring where the Expo and Blue lines meet near the Los Angeles Convention Center. Planners originally believed that tying the two lines together would not be a major effort.

But officials said the section was delayed initially because the design was incomplete and was delayed further when portions of the existing track needed to be replaced because of inadequate Blue Line track insulation, in addition to other changes requested by officials.

The Blue Line segment is crucial because plans call for Expo Line trains to follow the Blue Line route into the downtown Metro Center station, which planners expect would be a key destination for many riders.

The Expo Line route has long had its critics, who have argued that the line is too far south to effectively serve the Westside.

The line runs about three miles south of Wilshire Boulevard, missing major job centers in Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood.

But MTA planners favored the line in large part because of the cost savings involved in using an existing rail right-of-way.

Some of the projected cost savings are now coming into question.

The project jumped from $640 million to $862.3 million because of a variety of change orders, additions and increases in material costs.

In September 2007, the MTA board approved $22.3 million for extra work on the Blue and Expo line hookup, safety enhancements and a new USC station.

MTA approved another $145 million because of increased construction costs and later approved $54 million to build an elevated station in Culver City. Thorpe said the original plan called for a temporary station in Culver City, with an elevated platform planned for later. Officials decided that it made more sense to build the elevated platform right away.

Though no specific date has been set, officials hope to have the Culver City station running by the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012.

More money probably will be spent on safety improvements. Over the last few years, activists have complained that the route poses risks to students at Dorsey High School and Foshay Learning Center, among other campuses near the line. They have called for costly improvements to protect pedestrians, including running the line above or below street level.

The state Public Utilities Commission, which has regulatory authority over rail lines, is now deciding which safety improvements are needed near Dorsey High.

"They've known that these street-level crossings in our community and next to our schools were opposed by our community since the inception of this project," said Damien Goodmon of the Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line, one of the line's chief critics.

"The reality is this project was sold as being cheap and built fast, and the fact is neither of those points has come true," he said.

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Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

December 3, 2009 --

Today, Construction Authority Board Chairman Keith Hanks sent a letter to Metro Board Chairman Ara Najarian thanking him for his personal involvement over the last few weeks on behalf of the project.

The letter also highlights additional issues being raised at Metro that could affect the project schedule. We are hopeful that with Chairman Najarian's leadership, these issues will be resolved in a timely manner - allowing the Construction Authority and Metro Boards to approve the Fund Transfer Agreement-Term Sheet in January and keeping us on schedule for a June 2010 ground breaking.

Keeping to this schedule is also important for the City of Monrovia, which conditionally agreed to pursue the necessary environmental clearances for locating a Regional Maintenance and Operations Facility for Metro in Monrovia. Those conditions included specific commitments between both Metro and the Construction Authority and separately between Metro and the City. Recent correspondence between Metro and Monrovia appear to have Metro delaying their commitments to the property six months or more, resulting in a potential day-for-day delay, and potentially risking the availability of the Monrovia site all together. The magnitude of losing this site cannot be overstated.

Speaking of Monrovia...if you missed the Phase 2A Kick-off and Monrovia Station Billboard Unveiling two weeks ago, I am including a photo below. We had a great turn-out of community members and officials, including some "out-of-towners" - Congress members Dreier and Chu, Assemblyman Portantino, and California Transportation Commissioner Larry Zarian were among a great line up of speakers.

Finally, yesterday the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a request by Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Michael Antonovich directing County officials to work with Metro to pursue additional federal funding for the Foothill Extension and Crenshaw Corridor projects. As you know, the Foothill Extension needs nearly $400 million to complete the line to Montclair, and this motion continues the momentum of the final motion passed by the Metro board in October when they adopted the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan.

November 20, 2009 --

The first occurred on Wednesday night at the Construction Authority Board Meeting. The Board was presented a report on the six teams that submitted qualification packages to the Authority earlier this month. The Board unanimously approved the recommended short-list of qualified teams, each of which is well qualified and of the highest caliber in their fields. Early next year, these teams will compete for the first design-build package, the Iconic Freeway Structure:

Short-Listed Prime/Design Teams (in alpha order)

• Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc./CH2M Hill, Inc.
• C.C. Myers, Inc./WKE, Inc.
• Flatiron West, Inc./T.Y. Lin International
• Keiwit Pacific Co./HNTB Corporation
• Shimmick Construction Company, Inc./Biggs Cardosa Associations, Inc.
• Skanska USA Civil West CA District, Inc./AECOM Technical Services, Inc.

Secondly, tomorrow we kick off Phase 2A! We hope you can join us as we unveil the first of six station signs at the future Monrovia station.

We have a tremendous group of officials coming out tomorrow, including Congressman David Dreier and Congresswoman Judy Chu. Please see below for information.

November 12, 2009 --

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune yesterday thanked a number of key stakeholders for supporting the decision to include Phase 2A (Pasadena to Azusa) of the Foothill Extension in the regional Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). They started by thanking the Metro board for unanimously approving the LRTP - specifically highlighting the critical role played by Supervisors Antonovich and Ridley-Thomas and Duarte Mayor John Fasana in crafting the amendment that received unanimous approval. The staff credited the 14-member bipartisan Congressional delegation that united to urge the board to approve a regional strategy for federal funding, thanking Congressional Members Schiff and Dreier directly for their leadership (we need to add Congresswoman Chu to this list). Finally, the paper thanked the City of Monrovia for their willingness to propose land for the regional Maintenance and Operations Facility (M&O Facility), which was a critical issue needing resolution.

To meet the aggressive schedule, our team continues to working closely with Metro to finalize critically-needed documents that will keep us on track for a June groundbreaking and 2013 opening; and the City of Monrovia continues to meet with Metro to work through the plans for the M&O Facility.

As I reported last week, six world-class teams submitted qualifications materials. All teams passed the initial evaluation and will be recommended for further consideration.

As stressed in the editorial, our team is heavily focused on attracting - as the paper calls it - "the best and the brightest engineers and design teams." We are very encouraged by the response to our initial request in the procurement process.

November 9, 2009 --

Since 2003, when Phase 1 of the Gold Line opened between Sierra Madre and Union Station, residents east of Pasadena have looked forward to the day when they too could easily access the Gold Line to get to work, school, friends, and more.

With the adoption of Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan last month, we now have the necessary commitments to build the Gold Line Foothill Extension to Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa! Construction is to begin in June 2010.

If you are getting this e-mail, you have played a role in this journey and we invite you to join elected officials, community leaders, students, residents, families and others in celebrating this important milestone.

Please join us as we unveil the first of six station billboards and commemorate the kick-off of Phase 2A:

Kick-off Celebration & Station Billboard Unveiling

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009
10:00 a.m. - Noon
Future Gold Line Foothill Extension Station - Monrovia
(northwest corner of Myrtle Avenue and Duarte Road)
Monrovia, CA

Unveiling ceremony - 10:20 a.m.
Bring your entire family for food, games, giveaways and more!

We hope to see you there! Questions? Call (626) 471-9050.

November 2, 2009 --

Consistent with our procurement schedule, I am pleased to report that today the Construction Authority received Statements of Qualifications from six design-build-finance teams interested in pursuing a public-private partnership to complete the Iconic Freeway Structure (IFS). The IFS will be the first package bid out under Phase 2A (Pasadena to Azusa).

We are very impressed by the caliber of the world-class teams that have submitted. The Construction Authority will now review the submittals and identify the list of teams that "qualify," per the criteria set out in the request for qualifications. Our Board is scheduled to consider approval of the qualified teams in November.

Early next year, these pre-qualified teams will compete for the design-build-finance contract. This keeps us on schedule to break ground in June and complete the line to Azusa in 2013.

October 29, 2009 --

Below are two letters to the editor published in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin over the last two days. They were written by County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Glendora City Councilman Doug Tessitor and Claremont City Councilman Sam Pedroza (both Construction Authority Board members).

The letters highlight the importance of the Foothill Extension to the future of the County and San Gabriel Valley, and the level of cooperation it took to reach last week's unanimous approval of the Long Range Transportation Plan.

These three individuals were integral to the outcome that occurred last week, and we thought you should not miss their points of view.

____

Gold Line is vital
Michael D. Antonovich
Created: 10/28/2009 07:22:27 PM PDT

"Making tracks to L.A. for rail decision" (David Allen column, Oct. 25) really missed the point.

Far from being a luxury, the Gold Line is a vital component in our regional transportation system - connecting two counties, the Ontario Airport and the region's major educational and research facilities including Caltech, JPL, the City of Hope, the Claremont Colleges, University of La Verne, Pasadena City College and Azusa Pacific University.

The Gold Line will create a transportation corridor of economic development for the entire San Gabriel Valley with redevelopment around stations with new housing and commercial sites. It supports the Valley's emergence as a high-tech corridor where hundreds of new companies will locate along the Gold Line, creating jobs in biomedicine, research and development, computer science and manufacturing. It will also provide relief from the traffic congestion along the crowded 210 Freeway corridor and provide future connections to the San Fernando Valley.

The city of Los Angeles and its majority on the MTA board have consistently derailed our efforts to develop a regional transportation system that serves the 88 cities and 134 unincorporated communities of Los Angeles County - rather than just one city.

However, last Thursday's vote was a victory for the entire region and the San Gabriel Valley. Despite being accused of parochialism by the Los Angeles Times, a bipartisan coalition of federal, state and local officials fought to ensure federal funding for the extension and operation of the Gold Line segment to Azusa in 2013 - rather than wait until 2017 - and for the future extension to Claremont and on to Ontario Airport as a first priority.

MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH
Fifth District Supervisor, Los Angeles County
____

Gold Line team effort
Doug Tessitor and Sam Pedroza
Created: 10/27/2009 07:45:37 PM PDT

Following Metro's adoption of the Long Range Transportation Plan, the Foothill Extension has the commitment it needs to move forward to construction.

This was no small feat, and took the support and action of many. From our state legislators who included the Foothill Extension for funding in Measure R; to the voters who supported the measure; and all of the cities along the alignment who have supported, planned for and fought hard to complete the project to Montclair; this was truly a team effort.

Importantly, it took cooperation at all levels of government. This was highlighted over the last few weeks by the letter sent to the Metro Board by a bipartisan coalition of Congress members. We especially would like to thank Congress members Judy Chu, David Dreier and Adam Schiff for their leadership in bringing this crucial coalition together. In addition the county-wide coalition of Metro board members who crafted an amendment to the LRTP that provided in their words "regional rationality and equity." It was this amendment that committed the agency to complete and operate the Foothill Extension to Claremont (along with other projects) and ultimately resulted in a unanimous vote of the board.

This spirit of cooperation will continue to be needed as we move forward with the next steps, making the line a reality. As we heard from our congressional members when we were in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, they are ready to help fight for funding for this and other county projects, and for our region to receive its fair share of federal funds.

The Construction Authority looks forward to working with our congressional delegation, as well was with Metro, to make the Foothill Extension a great success for the county and an early win for Measure R.

DOUG TESSITOR
Glendora City Councilman
Chair, Metro Gold Line Phase II Joint Powers Authority

SAM PEDROZA
Claremont City Councilman
Director, Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority

October 23, 2009 --

Yes, it was a good day for the Foothill Extension yesterday. The adoption of the LRTP allows the county to implement many critically-needed projects, and hopefully allows us to leverage the tax-payer investment (Measure R) to bring more funding to the county to complete the plan.

Ultimately, it was the hard work of members of the Metro Board of Directors to develop a truly regional and equitable strategy that could be supported unanimously, that made the difference. None of this would have been possible without the leadership of Supervisors Michael Antonovich, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Gloria Molina, and San Gabriel Valley Representative John Fasana (City of Duarte Mayor and Construction Authority Board member) that won the day. Their vision and determination helped to craft the amendment which will keep our project and other county projects a top priority for Metro.

So, what is next for the Foothill Extension?

We will work with Metro to finalize a fund transfer agreement that will allow our public-private partnership financing plan to be successful. This will keep us on track for a ground breaking in June 2010 for Phase 2A to Azusa.

We will also continue to work with our Congressional delegation to see what other funding sources (beyond federal New Starts) might be available to fund Phase 2B (Azusa to Montclair) and continue on the process to environmentally clear and complete conceptual engineering for Phase 2B in the next few years. We could not have greater support at the Congressional level than we do, and the effort of Representatives David Dreier, Adam Schiff, Judy Chu, Grace Napolitano, Joe Baca, their staff and others, played a critical role in this week's Metro decision.

If you haven't read them already, here are links to stories in today's San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star News, Los Angeles Times and Inland Valley Daily Bulletin discussing yesterday's meeting and the outcome for our county.

October 22, 2009 (A.M.) --

Today has just begun and we already have a preview of the Metro Board Meeting later this morning. When you open the opinion pages of the Los Angeles Times and the San Gabriel Valley Tribune today, you will see the very different views which will likely play out live during the meeting.

In the Times alone, there are two very different views - the first, an opinion by the paper; and the second, an opinion by three Congressional representatives (Judy Chu, Adam Schiff, and David Dreier). While in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the opinions of the paper and of the guest views provide more consistent messages (the guest view is a portion of the letter sent earlier this week by the 14-member delegation to the Metro Board).

Here are some highlights from the Los Angeles Times:

The Los Angeles Times opposes the position set forth in the letter by the Congressional delegates to the Metro Board earlier this week. The subtitle for the opinion states their view clearly: "Parochialism by members of the area's congressional delegation could derail the Wilshire Boulevard subway." The paper supports the unanimous decision made last month by the Metro Board to seek federal New Starts funding for the Westside Subway and Regional Connector. They believe it is a "logical" decision. They go on to say that the Foothill Extension, Eastside Extension and Crenshaw lines can be funded locally and do not need federal funding; but also admit that the limitation in local funds could result in these lines not getting completed fully or as quickly.

In a very different opinion in the Times, the Congress members Chu, Schiff and Dreier remind readers of the risk that the county is taking by limiting its pursuit of federal funds. Citing the potential 7-10 year wait for the Westside Subway and Regional Connector to be eligible to receive significant amounts of federal funding, they point out that transit projects like Phase 2B of the Foothill Extension (Azusa to Montclair) are in a much better position to receive federal money in the near-term (without hurting the chances of the Westside Subway or Regional Connector in their pursuit of a federal funding agreement).

They state: "At a time when unemployment is a record high in our region, we must maximize the dollars coming into the County for good-paying jobs and needed infrastructure by being united as a region here and in Washington. The only way that can work is if we do not close doors on some projects at the expense of others. Southern Californians need them all."

Some highlights from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

The Tribune's view is to follow the advice of the delegation. The paper quotes the same Congressional letter (and includes the majority of the letter in the guest view), but highlights the tone of the letter, which is one of cooperation. They quote the end of the delegation's letter, which says: "We would like to work together as a team as we pursue New Starts funding for Southern California's priorities on the federal level."

The paper then concludes with the following opinion: "That's a heck of an offer of assistance from some very powerful people who seldom agree on anything. If the Metro board members turn it down, they're nuts."

Well, we don't have to wait long to see what happens at the Metro Board meeting. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. this morning at Metro Headquarters.

For those who cannot make it, we will provide real-time updates from the meeting on our Twitter feed at iwillride.org, and you can always listen to the meeting by calling in - (213) 922-6045.

Of course nothing is as good as being in the room to watch first hand. Join the coalition of supporters attending the meeting to urge the board to commit to completing the Foothill Extension, including committing operational funds for Phase 2A (Pasadena to Azusa) in 2013.

October 21, 2009 --

Today, the Los Angeles Times and San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Pasadena Star News ran articles about the letter released yesterday by fourteen members of Congress.

These articles include many important messages to the Metro Board by our Congressional delegation as the board prepares to vote on the Long Range Transportation Plan tomorrow.

Congressman David Dreier reminds Metro that the agency committed to transit in the San Gabriel Valley years ago and needs to "live up to that commitment." Congresswoman Judy Chu reiterates what she wrote to them last month - that if the Gold Line Foothill and Eastside Extensions are excluded from entering the federal process, "myself and the rest of the local congressional delegation will very literally have our hands tied from helping meet our community's transit needs." Finally, Congressman Adam Schiff highlights an important benefit of our project moving forward - jobs. He is quoted: "At a time when our unemployment rate is among the highest in the nation, the MTA Board cannot afford to overlook the economic imperative to include these projects [Gold Line Foothill Extension, Gold Line Eastside Extension, and Crenshaw Line] in the long range plan and bring dollars and jobs to the region."

If the LRTP is amended tomorrow, committing operational funding for Phase 2A (Pasadena to Azusa) in 2013 versus 2017, the Construction Authority can continue down the procurement path that we have already started and break ground next June.

We can start creating the tens of thousands of jobs needed during construction (beginning next year) and provide congestion relief to the corridor - by accommodating 3.3 million additional boardings on the Metro system - in just four years.

A strong coalition of Foothill Extension supporters is planning on attending tomorrow's Metro Board meeting. If you want to join us, the meeting is tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 22 at 9:30 AM at Metro Headquarters. Please let Lisa Levy Buch, Director of Public Affairs, know if you plan to attend ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

October 20, 2009 --

Fourteen members of Congress sent this letter today to the Metro Board of Directors expressing concern that the county is not positioning itself well to receive its fair share of New Starts funding in the near- and long-term. This is in response to the Metro board's action last month to limit the federal funding request to the Westside Subway and Regional Connector projects.

The letter says that because it is not unusual for regions to have more than one project in the New Starts program at the same time, "it is extremely short-sighted not to include the Gold Line Foothill Extension, Gold Line Eastside Extension and Crenshaw/South Bay Transit Corridor in Metro's New Starts funding priority list."

The letter was signed by a bipartisan delegation representing different areas of the county, including our representatives from the San Gabriel Valley.

We appreciate the effort that was made by the delegates and their staff members to get this accomplished on behalf of the county. It was extremely timely in advance of Thursday's Metro Board consideration of the Long Range Transportation Plan.

October 19, 2009 --

Unfortunately, without this important commitment, the Authority's current schedule to break ground next June and build the line four years ahead of schedule through a public-private partnership will not be possible.

The article states that County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and Duarte Mayor John Fasana will attempt to amend the plan to commit the operational funding in 2013. We look forward to seeing what they propose at Thursday's meeting, and encourage all who are able to be present to support their efforts.

The meeting is this Thursday, Oct. 22, at 9:30 a.m. at Metro Headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles.

Please let Lisa Levy Buch, Director of Public Affairs, know if you plan to attend. She can be reached at (626) 305-7004 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

October 15, 2009 --

Based on yesterday's Metro Planning and Programming Committee, the Long Range Transportation Plan is going to be adopted next Thursday. That's the good news. The bad news is the current draft continues to assume operations to Azusa beginning in 2017, which will preclude us from breaking ground next June.

So, where does that leave us for next Thursday? Bottom line - there is still work to be done.

The Public Transportation Recommended Plan (summarized in Attachment B of the LRTP) needs to be amended to change the opening year from 2017 to 2013, and the footnote restricting our Measure R funds to the "initial segment, including yard and vehicles" should be removed so that the Foothill Extension has the same treatment as all other projects included in Measure R.

We had a terrific group of spokespeople in attendance at yesterday's meeting. Pasadena Mayor (and Construction Authority Board Member) Bill Bogaard, Claremont City Councilman (and Construction Authority Board Member) Sam Pedroza, Julianne Hines from Assemblyman Anthony Portantino's staff, Tahra Goraya from Senator Carol Liu's staff, and Katie Gagnon from the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership were present. They each spoke and urged the committee to amend the plan to accelerate the operations funding to 2013. They highlighted the tens of thousands of jobs that would be created starting next year, the resulting economic benefits to the cities and county, the 3.3 million boardings and associated revenue to Metro, and more. Additionally, Scott Ochoa, City Manager from the City of Monrovia, told the committee that his city does not want to continue evaluating the possibility of building the maintenance and operations facility in Monrovia without a commitment that the line will be operating in 2013.

As always, we truly appreciate this group taking time to fight for our project. It is the result of their effort, and the work of so many supporters, that made the difference and got us in the plan.

I hope you will attend the Metro meeting next Thursday, Oct. 22 at 9:30 a.m. Please contact Lisa Levy Buch, Public Affairs Director, at (626) 305-7004 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you plan on attending.

October 12, 2009 --

Late last week Metro published the Draft 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan in anticipation of this Wednesday's Planning and Programming Committee Meeting. Here are some highlights which compare the current draft of the LRTP to the previous version that was circulated in June:

• The Measure R allocation for the Foothill Extension and Crenshaw Line are reduced
• Measure R allocations for Phase II of the Expo Light Rail line to Santa Monica is increased by $330 million
• Accelerates the opening of the Downtown Regional Connector by six years
• Limits the federal funding request for the upcoming reauthorization bill to the Westside Subway and Downtown Regional Connector

Regarding the Foothill Extension, the plan allocates $851 million in Measure R funds between FY2010 and FY2019 ($24 million less than in the June draft), and specifically limits our use of that money for the "first segment." Our project is the only one that is specifically limited in the plan in this way. The plan also limits the county to seek federal New Starts funding for only the Subway and Regional Connector, and does not open the door to allow our project (or any others) to compete for federal dollars.

Last week, I provided a short list of needs from the Plan to keep us on schedule for a groundbreaking next year and openings in Azusa in 2013 and Montclair in 2017. The plan succeeds in providing some of our plan necessary but not all that is required to break ground in June 2010.

Changes to the LRTP are required to allow us to compete for federal funding. Measure R leaves a $320 million gap in funding for Segment 2B to Montclair. Metro's agreement to operate Segment 2A in 2013 and Segment 2B in 2017 is required to remain eligible for federal funds.

These important changes to the plan need to be adopted by the Metro Board. Please plan on attending the Planning and Programming Committee meeting this Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. or the Board Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on October 22 to show your support.

Contact Lisa Levy Buch of my staff at (626) 305-7004 with any questions or if you are planning on attending either meeting.

October 7, 2009 --

Late yesterday, Metro posted the agenda for the Planning and Programming Committee Meeting, which includes a discussion of the Long Range Transportation Plan. The committee meeting will be held next Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at Metro Headquarters. We anticipate that the full board will then consider the LRTP at their October 22 meeting. Unfortunately, the agenda did not include a working link to the draft plan, so we have requested a copy and will forward it when available.

Many people have asked what we need from the Long Range Transportation Plan to keep on schedule and get the line running to Claremont in 2017. Ideally, the plan will include a funding stream that either matches or accelerates the stream published in the July 2009 draft plan ($875 million between 2010 to 2019) and allows us to apply for federal funding for the remaining $320 million needed to complete construction. We also hope the plan commits operational funding starting in 2013 to Azusa and in 2017 to Claremont, allowing us to be eligible and ready for funding opportunities that may become available.

We look forward to seeing the draft report and if necessary making our case for the construction and operational funding to complete this important project and make it an early Measure R success story with a June 2010 groundbreaking.

As always, your support continues to make a difference in this process and we welcome anyone interested in attending either the committee or board meetings to join us. Please contact Lisa Levy Buch, the Authority's new Director of Public Affairs, at (626) 305-7004 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are able to attend.

October 5, 2009 --

You may find interesting the editorial below which appeared in today's Pasadena Star-News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune Opinion section. It highlights their growing frustration with Metro's treatment of the Foothill Extension project. The editorial lays out what Metro can do to support the Foothill Extension:

1) Pass the Long Range Transportation Plan which includes the Measure R funding necessary to build to Azusa, and

2) Take advantage of the window of opportunity during the years before the Westside Subway and Regional Connector projects are eligible for federal funding and support the Foothill Extension for federal funding in the interim.

The Authority continues to prepare to break ground next June if Metro approves its Long Range Transportation Plan. We are hopeful that the Plan will be considered at the Metro Board meeting in October, before the 1-year anniversary of Measure R's passage, as previously stated by the Metro Board.

We will keep you posted, but for now, please continue to hold October 22 at 9:30 a.m. to attend the Metro Board meeting.

The Journey Continues...

Habib F. Balian

Here is the editorial from today's Pasadena Star News / SGV Tribune:

Our View: Gold Line taking bidders

Posted on Pasadenastarnews.com: 10/04/2009 06:14:39 PM PDT and printed in Pasadena Star News / SGV Tribune 10/05/2009

The old adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" could be the new philosophy of the Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority.

And that can be both bad and good.

It is still waiting for the shovel-ready project - a 24-mile extension from east Pasadena to Claremont - to be funded at least for the first half to the Azusa/Glendora border. Despite promises from Metro that they will be partners, there has been no sealed commitment.

On Tuesday, it asked for private contractors to provide $150 million in seed money to fast-track the extension's first leg.

It's good that the agency is not sitting on its hands. The interest it generated from top-notch engineering firms such as Parsons and Jacobs speaks highly of the project. It also sends a message to the balky Metropolitan Transportation Authority that real firms are looking to spend real dollars and create thousands of real jobs if it would just do as it promised last year and commit the Measure R sales tax dollars for construction of the Gold Line foothill extension's first leg.

While we share in the agency's frustration, we are concerned that this go-it-alone attitude could backfire. We reiterate that the project needs Metro's support. Which is why we are once again urging the Metro board to place the project in the agency's Long Range Transportation Plan, and commit the $875 million from the half-cent sales tax San Gabriel Valley residents are currently paying.

We would take this concern further and say the Metro board's decision last month doesn't make supporters of this project breathe any easier. That is, the board moved to place the Westside subway (the "Subway to the Sea") and the Downtown Regional Connector projects on the federal New Starts funding list. Note the absence of the Gold Line, which would need federal dollars for completion of the second phase to Claremont, possibly to Montclair and eventually to Ontario International Airport. Again, without arguing the merits of those two projects, it's clear that they are not nearly as far along in terms of planning, engineering and land acquisition as the Gold Line Foothill. The two will only be available for federal funding five to eight years down the line, while the Gold Line is ready now. Would the MTA risk missing out entirely on upcoming federal New Start funding just to push two pet projects that are not yet qualified?

Those are real concerns of the San Gabriel Valley cities, the regional chambers of commerce and the local construction unions who want to see the project funded starting in 2010, and not by 2019 as the MTA has suggested.

Again, we share the construction authority's frustration with Metro. We see its attempts to secure some private dollars - if only as a loan - as an indication of the project's viability. It is also a reminder of the Gold Line's past: It took break-away legislation by then state Sen. Adam Schiff to create the funding for the existing Los Angeles-to-Pasadena Gold Line. If it did it once on its own, it could do it again.

September 30, 2009 --

Yesterday, the Authority held an Industry Workshop for potential contractors to highlight the upcoming business opportunities associated with the Foothill Extension. Click here to read today's Pasadena Star News story about the meeting.

A meeting highlight came from our keynote speaker, the Honorable Ara Najarian - Councilman from the City of Glendale and Chair of the Metro Board of Directors. During his address to the nearly 200 attendees, Chairman Najarian said, "I look forward to the next steps of the project" and "for solely selfish reasons, I am putting the heat on our CEO, Art Leahy. I want to break ground on the Gold Line before I am out of office as MTA Chair (and that is June 30, 2010)."

During his address, Najarian spent time discussing a map (click here) that Metro staff presented at the last Metro Board meeting which identifies areas of the country receiving federal New Starts funding in Fiscal Year 2010, the amount to each region, and the population of each region. Chairman Najarian's point was to illustrate that Los Angeles County is not receiving nearly the amount of federal funding as other areas of the country.

The attendees were encouraged by Najarian's remarks where he pledged to move the Foothill Extension project to a groundbreaking in the first half of next year and his earnest desire to see that more federal dollars come to Los Angeles County. Both will likely be the subject of much discussion at the Metro Board meeting on October 22. Please hold that morning for Metro's adoption of the Long Range Transportation Plan.

September 24, 2009 --

Today, the Metro Board unanimously approved a motion directing their CEO to begin talks with DC in pursuit of federal New Starts funding for the Westside Subway and Regional Connector. This motion was in response to Metro staff reporting that the county faces the prospect of losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government, starting in 2011, because they have no projects in the queue. Chairman Ara Najarian stated, "We are terribly underfunded as a region." This point was made more evident when Metro staff presented the map (click here) of the FY2010 projection for New Starts federal funding throughout the nation - which saw many other cities (most less populous) having federal funds that dwarfed the amount being received by Los Angeles County.

A representative from Congresswoman Judy Chu's office read a letter from the Congresswoman to the Board, pointing out that Metro's staff has given an unrealistic timeframe of three years to receive federal funding for the Subway and Regional Connector. The Congresswoman estimated a more realistic timeframe would be closer to 7-10 years, and that we should not lose the opportunity to bring federal dollars to the county in the interim. The Congresswoman proposed the Foothill Extension Phase 2B (Azusa to Montclair) as a project that is further ahead in the pipeline than the Subway or Regional Connector, and one that could receive federal funds during this period. Her letter stated:

"We need a federal strategy that truly leverages the billions of dollars being raised by Measure R and gives the county the most bang for its buck. If the Gold Line Foothill and East Side extensions and Crenshaw Line are excluded from entering the federal process, myself and the rest of the local Congressional Delegation will very literally have our hands tied from helping meet our community's transit needs."

Next month, on October 22, the Metro Board of Directors is set to consider and vote on the Long Range Transportation Plan and to continue the discussion started today on how to pursue additional funding to complete all of the rail projects approved by voters last November. I encourage anyone who can attend, to hold 9:30 a.m. to be at the meeting at Metro Headquarters. Once I receive a draft of the revised plan, I will update you.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the project.

September 22, 2009 --

Many of you are calling for information about this Thursday's Metro Board meeting and the direction the Metro Board is taking in regards to future federal funding for the county's rail program.

First, if you have not already, see today's Pasadena Star News (click here) that overviews comments made at the Mobility 21 conference by Mayor Villaraigosa. He stated that the Westside Subway and Regional Connector projects are the top two priority projects for the county and that the Foothill Extension is the lowest priority on the list. Mayor Villaraigosa also reiterated the same comments on KPCC "Air Talk" this morning.

These comments are coming ahead of Thursday's meeting, when the Metro Board will be considering its federal funding strategy. As of now, the agenda includes a motion to pursue federal funding for the Westside Subway and Regional Connector projects only. Supervisor Antonovich has withdrawn his motion to identify federal funding sources for the Gold Line Eastside and Foothill Extensions and the Crenshaw Line. The discussion around the Long Range Transportation Plan will be considered in October.

There remains confusion about why the Foothill Extension and Westside Subway and Regional Connectors are being pitted against each other, when all Measure R projects need federal funding to be completed. Many of you have expressed your opinion that Metro's planners should seek funding for projects that are ready. Our Board agrees. I will keep you updated as events warrant.

September 10, 2009 --

As we prepare for a June 2010 Phase 2A groundbreaking, I want to inform you of the status of the Long Range Transportation Plan adoption by Metro as well as technical progress being made by the Authority as we enter the procurement phase of the $600 million project.

First, as we look ahead to October, Metro authorities have informed us that revisions are being made to the LRTP, and are planning to have the Board consider the revised plan at their October meeting. The Metro Board is also likely to discuss their overall strategy for seeking federal funding for rail projects in October. Both of these issues have serious implications for the Foothill Extension and I will keep you posted as we learn more on the status of these initiatives. For now, please hold Thursday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m. to attend the Metro Board meeting.

Separately, the Construction Authority continues to work with the Foothill Cities updating engineering drawings, working with Caltrans on details for the Iconic Freeway Structure over the I-210 Freeway in Arcadia, and readying procurement documents for the contracting of a large volume of work over the next four years.

To support the contacting effort, please be aware of two important meetings being hosted by the Authority to provide potential contractors with information on the upcoming business opportunities. A workshop focused on small business opportunities will be held Tuesday, Sept. 15 and an industry workshop to provide an overview of the program and design build opportunities will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Finally, in case you missed it, please see the story (click here) that ran in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin last week that discussed the economic impact of the line from Glendora to Ontario.

If you'd like more information about any programs or meetings discussed above, please contact Linda Manning at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

August 21, 2009 --

Yesterday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held a news conference to call on everyone in Los Angeles County to get on board the Subway and to help it get the federal funding so the $4.1 billion project to Westwood can open 17 years ahead of the schedule set out in the voter-approved Measure R.

According to today's Los Angeles Times article, Mayor Villaraigosa, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and other officials "urged local governments to put aside their differences over planned transportation projects and launch a coordinated effort to secure enough federal stimulus dollars and matching funds to expedite the Subway extension as well as other much-anticipated projects to be financed by Measure R, the county's new transportation sales tax."

The proposal to put the Subway at the front of the line for federal funding prompted this response from Supervisor Mike Antonovich's spokesman, Tony Bell in the Daily News: "The residents of the San Fernando, San Gabriel, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys will all be paying for a gold-plated, multi-billion dollar underground Subway that will have no impact on our regional transportation crisis. ...In fact, it will funnel money away from projects that will improve mobility on a regional basis."

What is this all about? Next month, the Metro board will consider a motion on how to pursue funding. The original motion sought to go after funding only for the "Subway to the Sea" and the Regional Connector in downtown Los Angeles, even though those projects would not be eligible for federal funding for years. To make sure Metro was not losing out on funds in the interim (which Metro estimated at $200 million per year), Supervisors Antonovich and Mark Ridley-Thomas proposed a regional approach and suggested expanding the federal funding strategy to include the Crenshaw Line, Gold Line Eastside Extension and the Foothill Extension.

How does accelerating the Subway schedule affect the Foothill Extension? The next phase of the extension from Pasadena to Azusa is ready to go and does not need federal funding. Voters from across the county approved an allocation of at least $735 million to build the Gold Line to Claremont by 2017. That money is included in the draft Long Range Transportation Plan and is scheduled to begin flowing once the plan is approved, which could be Sept. 24. The Foothill Extension Construction Authority is planning to begin work on the line next June and get as far as Azusa in 2013, about four years ahead of schedule.

We've been saying all along that construction of these projects will bring jobs. We are supportive of the mayor's effort to bring a regional approach to solving the transportation issues in Los Angeles County, and we recognize the value of building the Subway to the Sea, Regional Connector, Crenshaw Line, Expo Line and the Gold Line Eastside Extension in that strategy. The Foothill Extension can begin to deliver much-needed jobs as soon as next June if Metro approves the LRTP at its next meeting. This is our stimulus project for the county. Let's get to work.

July 29, 2009 --

Cities along the Foothill Extension Phase 2B corridor (Azusa to Montclair) are already planning for the line. Yesterday, the city of Pomona announced plans to expand its Metrolink station and surrounding property with eye on when the Foothill Extension will be completed, according to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article. Federal funding will be critical for Phase 2B of the Foothill Extension, as the Antonovich-Ridley-Thomas motion highlights.

The Metro board will consider the motion and the Long Range Transportation (LRTP) at its September 24 meeting. We are hopeful the LRTP will be approved at that meeting. Please hold the date.

July 23, 2009 --

I wish I had good news to pass along today about the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), but alas the only news I can tell you is that the Metro board has once again delayed a vote on the plan. As several Metro board members said, this will give them more time to gain a consensus from all regions of the county on highway projects and to develop a comprehensive strategy for seeking federal funds.

While there was no decision on the LRTP itself, there was a lot of debate about which projects in the plan should be included on Metro's request list for federal funds. One motion before the Metro board today would have committed Metro to only seek federal funding for the Downtown Regional Connector and the Westside Extension of the subway. This would have made it very difficult for other projects (including Phase 2B of the Foothill Extension) to seek federal funding. To counter that proposal, Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Mark Ridley-Thomas submitted a motion to allow the Foothill Extension, Eastside Extension and Crenshaw line to leverage local investments in pursuit of federal funding to complete the projects. The motion, at Ridley-Thomas' urging, also would lock in voter-approved Measure R funding amounts, specifically for Crenshaw and the Foothill Extension, so Metro could not swap funds from one project to another.

In the end, the board voted 7-6 to delay consideration of the Antonovich/Ridley-Thomas motion until September. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar, Santa Monica City Councilwoman Pam O'Connor, Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian and Richard Katz voted to delay. Joining Supervisor Antonovich and Councilman Ridley-Thomas in voting against the delay were Duarte Mayor John Fasana, Supervisors Gloria Molina and Don Knabe and Lakewood City Councilwoman Diane Dubois.

We want to thank all of the San Gabriel Valley elected officials and their representatives who attended the meeting today, many staying until the bitter end to participate in the public comments. We especially want to thank those who spoke on behalf of the project - Glendora City Councilman Doug Tessitor (on behalf of the Construction Authority Board of Directors, Joint Powers Authority and Technical Advisory Committee - many of whom stood alongside him during his comments), Senator Carol Liu's District Director Tahra Goraya, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino's District Director Julianne Hines, and Henry Lo of Senator Gloria Romero's office. Your determination and willingness to come out to support the project continues to make a difference.

We also want to thank our strong group of business, labor and resident supporters, who have attended some very long meetings wearing their gold "I Will Ride" shirts. Today, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership Chairman Henry Nunez spoke about the economic effects of the LRTP (speaking on behalf of the Partnership and the members of the Arcadia and Monrovia Chambers of Commerce present) and Citrus College President Dr. Geraldine Perri spoke on behalf of the 15 colleges and universities along the line and recognized all of the community members present. As always, it was an impressive turn out of Foothill Extension supporters.

While we are confident the Foothill Extension will be included in the LRTP when it is finally passed, we will not rest until the board votes.

Finally, I also want to pass along an article from the July 20 issues of the California Real Estate Journal, which puts the critical nature of the plan into perspective.

The article opens: "A connection linking Ontario with downtown Los Angeles has inland cities excited by the prospects. However, a Metro Gold Line stop at LA/Ontario International Airport hinges on funding and the completion of the light rail's San Gabriel Valley extension." The article (click here) showcases the development plans slated for Ontario, Claremont, Montclair and Azusa and highlights the economic and mobility benefits realized by completion of the entire line to Ontario.

The Construction Authority is continuing our work to make the San Gabriel Valley vision a reality, and I look forward to updating you more in the near future on our progress for Phase 2B and the Ontario extension.

For now, please hold September 24 for what is sure to be a very exciting Metro board meeting.

July 21, 2009 --

On Thursday, the Metro board is expected to consider the agency's Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), which among other things formally establishes the funding and construction timelines for Measure R projects. Click here to read the report. The Foothill Extension is in the LRTP (see Attachment B, page 1) and is slated to receive $875 million between 2010 and 2019 to pay for construction of the line to Azusa, a maintenance yard and vehicles. Metro has set an operations start date of 2017. On Thursday, we will urge the Metro board to consider operating the line to Azusa when it is completed in 2013 - four years ahead of Metro's estimated timeline. We will let you know what happens after the meeting.

If you are unable to attend in person, there are several ways to keep tabs on the meeting and discussion in real time. You can dial in by phone at (213) 922-6045, or follow @iwillride on Twitter. Click here to access the site; you don't need to sign up for Twitter to follow along. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

July 17, 2009 --

The Measure R Workshop panel also heard the results of a survey of Los Angeles County voters about Measure R six months after the vote to approve the half-cent sales tax. The survey of 605 Los Angeles County voters was conducted in May by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates. Click here for the survey and click here for today's Los Angeles Times article.

The survey found that 61 percent of the people surveyed said that "transportation improvements promised by Metro are just not happening fast enough." Additionally, the No. 1 reason to support using Measure R funding to start new projects - stated by nearly one-third of the respondents (the most of any response) - is to "create and support 35,000 new jobs and generate over $5 billion for the local economy over the next five years."

The Foothill Extension fits the bill. The Extension is ready to go and can be under construction in less than a year. Further, construction of the line will create thousands of direct, indirect and induced jobs in the corridor cities during construction of Phase 2A from Pasadena to Azusa.

Other highlights from the survey:

• 54 percent of San Gabriel Valley residents gave Metro a favorable or very favorable rating. San Gabriel Valley residents made up 19 percent of those surveyed.
• 68 percent of voters would support Measure R if the vote were taken today. The measure received 68 percent - 1 percent more than required for passage last November.
• 64 percent of residents who live in Supervisor Mike Antonovich's District, which includes most of the Foothill Extension communities, supported Measure R in the post-election survey.
• 77 percent of respondents said it was important/very important to expand Metro's light rail system.

We want to thank Duarte City Councilwoman Lois Gaston and Assemblyman Ed Hernandez's District Director Rob Charles for attending the meeting and urging Metro to operate the Foothill Extension in 2013. Councilwoman Gaston told the board that the San Gabriel Valley wants to see all projects, including the subway, Gold Line and Expo, completed.

The LRTP is on the agenda for next Thursday's Metro board meeting. The Foothill Extension is scheduled to receive $743 million between 2010 and 2019 to build the line. We will urge the board to operate the line to Azusa in 2013. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at Metro headquarters. If you can attend, please contact Chris Lowe at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

July 13, 2009 --

Here is a reminder that Metro's Measure R workshop will take place this Thursday, July 16, at 9 a.m. at Metro headquarters. Please note that last week's update had an error - the workshop is this Thursday, not Wednesday.

At the workshop, the Metro board is expected to review the Measure R schedule, funding cashflow, project implementation and regional participation and prioritization issues. From the handout that Metro is distributing for the meeting (see attached), the primary discussion regarding rail projects will be about finding ways to accelerate funding and scheduling. This should be good news for the Foothill Extension, as the Construction Authority has already shown Metro a business plan that can expedite opening of the line to Azusa by four years.

However, the attached document only mentions accelerating the regional connector, Gold Line Eastside Extension 2 and the Green Line to LAX. The proposal would move the opening dates of the regional connector from 2025 to 2018, the Eastside Extension from 2035 to 2018 and the Green Line to LAX from 2028 to 2017. Other projects would remain on the schedule set out by Measure R, which includes the Foothill Extension opening in 2017.

We will be at the workshop to ask that the schedule be amended to accelerate the Foothill Extension by four years.

Speaking of the opening date for Measure R projects, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has set a goal to "build eight Measure R rail projects on time or ahead of schedule" in his second term in office. We are very supportive of his efforts, especially his plan for the Foothill Extension, which he declares will be open in 2013. You can see on his website (click here).

We look forward to his support as we work on our public-private partnership to construct the line and have it operating in 2013. We can put thousands of people back to work, stimulate the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County economies, relieve congestion and increase Metro ridership. When the Eastside and Foothill Extensions are open, Gold Line boardings are estimated to exceed 55,000 a day.

The next step after Thursday's Measure R workshop is the Metro board's consideration of the Long Range Transportation Plan, which will formalize the funding plan and construction schedule for the Foothill Extension. The meeting is scheduled for July 23 at 9:30 a.m. at Metro. Please save the date.

July 9, 2009 --

An article in today's Los Angeles Times once again confirms that commuters in the region are stuck in traffic more than any other area in the United States. While the report was based on data from 2007, the solution to the problem remains the same - invest in transportation infrastructure, especially mass transit. Click here for the story.

Metro has the funding source in place in Measure R and, of all the rail projects in the voter-approved plan, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension is the most ready to go.

For us to get started, the Metro board needs to approve the draft Long Range Transportation Plan at its July 23 meeting. The plan includes a funding stream that will allow the Construction Authority to enter into a public-private partnership to build Phase 2A to Azusa so it can open in 2013. We can begin construction next June, providing much-needed jobs for the severely hit construction trades if the board acts this month. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. Please contact Chris Lowe at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you can attend the meeting.

We will learn more at next Wednesday's Measure R Implementation Workshop to be held during the Measure R Project Delivery Committee meeting. The agenda says the panel, now chaired by Santa Monica City Mayor Pro Tempore Pam O'Connor, will examine scheduling, funding cashflow, project implementation and regional participation and prioritization issues. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at Metro headquarters.

In the meantime, we are continuing to prepare for construction, as the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Pasadena Star-News reported this week. Click here for the story. We have been doing engineering prep work for the iconic structure over the 210 Freeway in Arcadia. The Construction Authority's Iconic Freeway Structure Arts Committee (IFSAC) - whose members are from cities along the Foothill Extension route - convened today to evaluate the 15 artists whose responses met the Request for Qualifications to provide art services toward the design of the structure. In order to qualify, each artist must have worked with a public agency on infrastructure projects exceeding $5 million.

This is a significant project not only for the Foothill Extension, but for the San Gabriel Valley. We envisioned that this structure will be an iconic, gateway symbol for the San Gabriel Valley and the quality of artists and their concepts measured up to those expectations.

The IFSAC will interview the panel's highest-ranked artists and then recommend one to the Construction Authority board, which will make the final decision on July 22.

Lastly, I want to announce that Duarte Mayor John Fasana has been named to the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority board of directors. Mayor Fasana has been a terrific advocate for the Gold Line at Metro and we look forward to having him on our board. He was appointed by Metro Board Chairman Ara Najarian and replaces Vivien Bonzo. I would like to thank Vivien for her service and commitment to the Gold Line since the Authority's 1999 inception.

We are looking forward to the Metro vote on the Long Range Transportation Plan and we urge the board to maintain the funding schedule in the draft so we can open the Foothill Extension in 2013, bringing with it a major success story for Measure R.

July 1, 2009 --

I want to share with you two items from today's Pasadena Star-News that talk about the Foothill Extension project. The first is a short item on the prep work that started yesterday on the iconic freeway structure (see article below). The second is an editorial that reminds us all that today is the day the Measure R sales tax hike kicks in and what it means for the San Gabriel Valley.

Here's how the editorial welcomed the half-cent sales tax: "Now that it's here, now that we're all paying the piper, sure, we'll lobby for all the Measure R monies we can get. There's no reason the Gold Line and bus lanes in eastern L.A. County can't get their fair share over the decades even if that wasn't the plan that was presented to us."

The editorial recalls that it was a fight to overcome the Westside bias of the spending plan and it will continue to take a concerted effort to make sure the San Gabriel Valley gets its fair share of the funding.

The good news is that during his inaugural speech today, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that Measure R will serve as a catalyst for creating better transportation and he is committed to funding all 12 rail projects identified in the Measure, before or on schedule.

The Foothill Extension is one of the first rail projects to be funded in the draft Long Range Transportation Plan. The plan currently calls for construction to begin in Fiscal Year 2010 and for the Extension to open to Azusa in 2017. We have developed a public-private partnership plan that can get the line open to Azusa in 2013.

We are hopeful others on the Board will agree with the Mayor and see that accelerating projects is a good outcome of Measure R. Our goal is for the board to amend the draft plan to expedite operational dollars to 2013 before adopting the final plan, which is currently scheduled to be voted on at this month's Metro Board Meeting on July 23.

We will follow up with more details as the date approaches.

Pasadena Star-News
June 30, 2009

Transit authorities testing site for future Gold Line bridge

ARCADIA - Engineers are doing preliminary tests on the site where Gold Line officials plan to build a bridge that would one day allow the rail line to cross over the Foothill Freeway (I-210).

Transit officials call it a gateway bridge because it would mark the line's crossover into the San Gabriel Valley.

The Gold Line is scheduled to be extended out as least as far as the Azusa/Glendora border sometime in the next decade, though the official construction dates are not yet set.

Local transit officials want to complete the line out that far by 2013, while county officials currently list its completion date as 2017.

June 30, 2009 --

While Metro continues to put the finishing touches on the Long Range Transportation Plan and prepares for the vote on July 23, we have moved ahead with prep work for the iconic freeway structure that will connect the Foothill Extension to the existing Gold Line tracks in the middle of the 210 Freeway.

Today and tomorrow, workers will be extracting soil samples from 100 feet below the surface in the right-of-way adjacent to Newcastle Park and along the eastbound lanes of the freeway. The soil will be analyzed to help engineers design the foundation for the bridge.

The prep work we are doing for the bridge now allows us to maintain a state of readiness so we can begin construction next June. This is an important milestone. We are ready to go and we can be in operation to Azusa in 2013.

We are currently seeking proposals from artists to design the structure to create a gateway to the San Gabriel Valley.

As you also know, tomorrow is the first day that Metro will begin collecting the Measure R half-cent sales tax, which is the sole source of the $743 million Metro has allocated in the LRTP to the Foothill Extension. We will keep you advised on the status of the LRTP and upcoming meetings.

June 25, 2009 --

To keep the Foothill Extension in the forefront of Metro members' minds, San Gabriel Valley representatives from the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board of Directors, Joint Powers Authority and Technical Advisory Committee attended the Metro board meeting this morning to underscore the need for the line and the jobs the construction will create. They also urged the board to expedite operational funding for the line to Azusa before adopting the LRTP, per resolutions that each group considered over the last two days.

Doug Tessitor, the chairman of the Joint Powers Authority and Glendora City Councilman, spoke at today's Metro meeting on behalf of the Board, JPA and TAC and directly linked expediting operational dollars to jobs: "We know that moving forward with construction-ready projects sooner will help create the needed jobs." Click here to see a video from today's meeting.

We also had strong support from organized labor at today's meeting. Ed Rendon, Director of Public Affairs for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Joint Council 42, spoke on behalf of a number of labor union representatives and talked of the benefit construction of the Foothill Extension will have on construction and trades workers and their families.

Rendon cited the June 19 State of California Employment Development Department report (see attached), which showed that while Los Angeles County's unemployment rate has increased 4.5 percent from a year ago, unemployment among construction and specialty trades workers has nearly quadrupled over the same period.

"You can create jobs by prioritizing spending and allocating funds to projects that are shovel-ready," Rendon said, referring to the Foothill Extension. "We urge you to optimize that opportunity and to make decisions with jobs in mind."

The Foothill Extension can be under construction in less than 12 months, directly and indirectly creating thousands of jobs and providing a prime opportunity for the county to get people back to work.

Having supporters present at the meetings to make these and other important reminders is paying off. Thank you for making yourselves available through this lengthy process. We haven't made it to the finish line just yet.

With that in mind, please hold July 23 at 9:30 a.m. on your calendars to attend the Metro board meeting. This is the date Metro has targeted to consider the Long Range Transportation Plan. If you have any questions, or plan to attend, please let us know.

June 17, 2009 --

With the vote on Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan currently planned for July 23, I wanted to take a moment to reset the table on where the Foothill Extension stands in the LRTP and what our game plan is for the next five weeks.

As I told you last week, Metro's Draft LRTP commits $743 million in funding, beginning in Fiscal Year 2010, for construction of the Foothill Extension. The plan, however, anticipates the line opening in 2017, four years later than our plan. We've told Metro that we have a strategy for putting together a public-private partnership to expedite construction to Azusa and open the Extension in 2013 and we are going to need help in the coming weeks to persuade Metro board members to amend the Draft LRTP to expedite operational funding.

Next Thursday, June 25, the Construction Authority's Joint Powers Authority and Technical Advisory Committee will meet at Metro headquarters prior to Metro's regular board meeting. We don't anticipate any discussion regarding the LRTP on the board meeting agenda, but the JPA and TAC members will be there to urge the Metro board to move up the operating date for the project when it considers the LRTP in July.

Along with all of the business organizations that we've worked with through the years, labor is taking a big interest in our project as well. The Teamsters' Joint Council 42 told the Metro board members at the LRTP workshop on June 11 that the Foothill Extension was at the top of the priority list because of its readiness and ability to get construction crews working on the Extension as soon as next June. We look forward to working with labor in the coming weeks to urge the board to move up the operation date to 2013.

We have a great story to tell and we can deliver a project that will help stimulate the regional economy, create new jobs, get more people out of their cars and reduce pollution. We need to continue to have a presence at board meetings and let the Metro board of directors know the benefits the Foothill Extension brings to the entire county.

Lastly, we need to remember that the Metro board still needs to vote on the Draft LRTP before we can move forward. So we will continue to update you on developments and ask for your support and - ultimately - your presence at the July 23 Metro board meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m. in the 3rd Floor Board Room. Please save the date.

June 11, 2009 --

As a quick update on today's Long Range Transportation Plan Workshop, the Metro Board of Directors decided to hold off voting on the Plan until their July Board meeting to allow the public more time to review the document which came out late yesterday. Although this is a delay, the good news is that the draft Plan starts to fund construction to Azusa next year.

The Foothill Extension was well represented at the meeting by, as our supporters put it, a strong coalition of elected officials, business representatives, labor and local institutions. As always, our speakers were clear and direct, and today the message rang out loud and clear that project supporters were happy to see the draft LRTP's funding timeline for construction, but want to see the operational dollars moved up to 2013. They pointed out that if it can happen sooner, we should not wait to create jobs, economic development, and ultimately relieve traffic and reduce pollution by getting 3.3 million people onto transit.

The meeting ended with the Board asking staff to respond to a number of questions posed by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, including a number that directly related to what steps would be necessary to expedite funding for Measure R projects.

I want to thank the many people who came out today to support the project. They included:

• Yvonne Hsu - District Representative, Congressman Adam Schiff
• Tahra Goraya - District Director, California Senator Carol Liu
• Julianne Hines - District Director, California Assemblymember Anthony Portantino
• Gary Neely - District Representative, California Senator Bob Huff
• Steve Johnson - District Representative, California Assemblyman Anthony Adams
• Jorge Marquez - District Representative, California Assemblyman Dr. Ed Hernarndez
• Bill Bogaard - Mayor, City of Pasadena
• Keith Hanks - Council member, City of Azusa (and Chair of the Construction Authority Board of Directors)
• Sam Pedroza - Council member, City of Claremont
• Doug Tessitor - Council member, City of Glendora (and Chair of the JPA Board of Directors)
• Phil Hawkey - Executive Vice President, University of La Verne
• Dr. Edward Ortell, Trustee and Marilyn Grinsdale, Government Relations Director - Citrus College
• Cliff Hamlow - Vice President Emeritus, Azusa Pacific University
• Cynthia Kurtz - President / CEO, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
• Scott Hettrick, Arcadia Chamber and San Gabriel Valley Chamber Coalition
• Ed Rendon - California Teamsters (who stood up with representatives from a number of individual Trades)

We now wait until July 23rd for the formal vote. Keep the morning held on your calendars, starting at 9:30 a.m. for what may be Decision Day for the project.

June 11, 2009 --

In anticipation of today's Long Range Transportation Plan Workshop, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Pasadena Star News ran an editorial urging the Metro Board of Directors to include the appropriate level of funding in the Plan to allow construction of the Foothill Extension to Azusa to be completed, and operation to begin, in 2013. (See editorial text below.)

The newspaper's editorial board said the "shovel ready" project's ability to create jobs (both on and off the tracks), reduce congestion on the 210 and stimulate the San Gabriel Valley economy should be a priority for the agency, and highlighted the leadership of our San Gabriel Valley Supervisors, Mike Antonovich and Gloria Molina, who sit on the Metro Board.

The editorial also cites the extraordinary enthusiasm of the Foothill Extension supporters during this process and encourages their continued efforts.

For those who can attend, the meeting today is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Metro headquarters. If you can't make it, follow @iwillride on Twitter (http://twitter.com/IWillRide) or listen by phoning in (213) 922-6045.

Our View: Gold Line is shovel ready

Once again, the Gold Line Foothill Extension faces a critical vote today to keep it on track toward crucial commuter service for the San Gabriel Valley.

In that vote, we urge the Metro board of directors to put the extension, or at least its phase 1 from East Pasadena to Azusa, into its Long Range Transportation Plan.

The efficient Gold Line staff has lined up public-private partnerships ready to begin the work by next spring. If we can help secure the long-promised financing to do so, the contracts can be let and service can be opened to the Azusa/Glendora stop, including service to Citrus College and Azusa Pacific College, by 2013, not by 2017, as the MTA's current plans are.

That's a huge time difference in reducing the 210 Freeway gridlock in our time.

In order for that to be accomplished, the Metro board should attach funding from the recently passed Measure R.

This is a classically shovel-ready project that can help relieve congestion and create jobs. And those jobs are not just on the tracks. A number of our cities have station-adjacent development projects hanging fire until the rail line is sure to come to town. Once the commitment is there, credit will loosen up and we'll witness a healthy boost of commerce and housing in the region as well.

We love and share the energy of the citizen Gold Liners who go to iwillride.org and post enthusiastic comments such as: "This would be so useful to those of us living in the east end of L.A. County. My family travels often to Pasadena, and an extension would be immensely useful to us."

Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who serves on the Metro board, recently told the paper, "I have to give credit to the San Gabriel Valley people who kept showing up to meetings to lobby for this."

Supporters can continue to show that enthusiasm by showing up at today's Metro meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. Easy to get to the MTA headquarters, too - just take the Gold Line from Pasadena to those Union Station-adjacent offices.

Recently, Metro's Budget and Finance Committee unanimously approved a motion by Antonovich to add $10 million in Measure R funding to the Foothill Extension's budget for Fiscal Year 2010. Now, we need to keep that momentum going. As Supervisor Gloria Molina asked Metro CEO Art

Leahy: "Why would you allocate more money for (projects with) later start dates and less money for those that have earlier start dates?"

Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Claremont City Councilman Sam Pedroza and San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership President Cynthia Kurtz have all testified recently in favor of funding the Gold Line.

Bogaard said: "The Foothill Extension is the only rail project in the county ready to go and it can provide an early success story for the new sales tax under Measure R."

The trains are ready to roll, and so are we, if the Metro board does the right thing for streamlining transit in Los Angeles County today.

June 10, 2009 --

Contrary to our previous understanding of tomorrow's Metro Long Range Plan Workshop, it appears there is an effort to adopt the LRTP tomorrow, and not at the next Metro Board meeting on the 25th as previously thought. Please click here to see the announcement we received today. The draft LRTP to be debated tomorrow currently includes $743 million in construction funding for the Extension beginning in FY 2010, but does not allocate operational funding to Azusa until FY 2017 (see the attached document, which shows the proposed funding stream for construction starting in FY 2010).

While we are pleased with the funding stream proposed for construction, the Authority is prepared to complete Phase 2A through construction financing, which will allow us to complete construction to Azusa four years ahead of what Metro is currently assuming in the plan. Therefore tomorrow, we need to make the case that Metro should amend the draft plan to expedite operational funding for the line, beginning in FY 2013 (not in FY 2017).

There may be many reasons for delaying adoption of the LRTP tomorrow. The first most likely reason is that it has not been formally published for public review. We received the attached document from staff.

I want to thank everyone who has attended a meeting, testified on behalf of the project in person, via email or letter, identified legislation, submitted motions, sought local, state and federal funding, held hearings, advocated for the line, attended news conferences or joined the I Will Ride campaign. Your support has had a significant impact, and helped to get us included in the plan. Although a tremendous milestone, we will continue to need your support for a 2013 opening to Azusa.

If you can't make it to the 1 p.m. meeting at Metro headquarters tomorrow, you can follow it on Twitter by clicking here http://twitter.com/IWillRide or dialing in at (213) 922-6045.

June 9, 2009 --

In the next day or two we expect Metro to release its updated draft of the Long Range Transportation Plan and - based on a briefing from staff - we expect it to contain very good news about funding for the Foothill Extension that will allow the Construction Authority to extend the Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa. As we told you, the Metro board will discuss the draft plan on Thursday at 1 p.m.

We know we can have the line ready to open in 2013. However, funds are not programmed for operations until 2017. We've told the Metro board and staff that we have the capacity and public-private partnership capability to finance the line and get construction crews to work in fewer than 12 months. We need your help to ensure the message gets through to Metro board members to open the next phase to Azusa in 2013.

Building a rail project on time and on budget would mean:

• More than 3.3 million rides a year on the Gold Line.
• Less congestion on the 210 freeway and local roads.
• More mass transit options in the San Gabriel Valley.
• Our communities could begin investing in development projects sooner.
• A win for the Metro Board - a train line operating in fewer than four years.

We will follow up when the LRTP report is issued. We are grateful to the San Gabriel Valley Metro members, Antonovich, Molina, Fasana and their respective staff, who continue to provide leadership in helping us through this process. To all of our supporters, please help us in continuing to fight on for the Foothill Extension.

May 29, 2009 --

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Metro Board of Directors agreed to budget significant new funds for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. It was a milestone that could not have happened without the support of the elected officials and business leaders from the San Gabriel Valley and hundreds of residents, employees and students who joined I Will Ride and attended Metro Board Meetings to illustrate the need for the line.

Supervisor Mike Antonovich said it best to the San Gabriel Valley News: "I have to give credit to the San Gabriel Valley people who kept showing up to meetings to lobby for this."

Although the board approved Supervisor Antonovich's motion to add $10 million in Measure R funding to the Gold Line, it decided to wait until next month to identify and agree on the funding source as part of the Long Range Transportation Plan. Antonovich's motion sought to use Measure R rail funds from a reserve fund that Metro created in its FY 2010 budget. The money is not earmarked for any other project.

As we look forward to the LRTP discussion, we need to be mindful that the $10 million is a good start. While we don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, we need to make sure that Metro commits to a funding stream that will enable the Construction Authority to remain on schedule to build the next phase to Azusa by 2013. With a commitment we can begin construction in about 12 months and begin employing construction workers. Without that commitment, the $10 million will allow us to plan but not much more.

As Supervisor Antonovich said we would not be this far along without the support of our elected leaders and 40 residents who were at yesterday's meeting. Our lineup of supporters included: State Board of Equalization Vice Chair Judy Chu, State Sen. Carol Liu's District Director Tahra Goraya, Assemblymember Anthony Portantino's District Director Julianne Hines, Assemblymember Ed Hernandez's Field Representative Jorge Marquez, Duarte Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Finlay, Duarte City Councilwoman Lois Gaston, Pasadena Vice Mayor Victor Gordo, Azusa City Councilman Keith Hanks, Glendora City Councilman Doug Tessitor, Claremont City Councilman Sam Pedroza, Bradbury City Councilman Bruce Lathrop and former Claremont Mayor Ellen Taylor. Also in attendance were: Sue Keith and Marilyn Grinsdale of Citrus College, Henry Nunez and Katie Gagnon of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, Azusa City Manager Fran Delach, Azusa Assistant City Manager Tito Haes and Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa.

We will continue to keep you updated on the details of Metro's consideration of the Long Range Transportation Plan. We expect the board to consider the LRTP on June 25. Please hold the date.

May 22, 2009 --

Every time we get close the finish line, Metro places another hurdle in front of us. At this week's meeting, Metro said we needed to environmentally clear the maintenance yard and now in today's article Metro's Chief Financial Officer Terry Matsumoto said staff proposed only $127,000 for the extension because we were not yet in the Long Range Transportation Plan. However, he said that once the LRTP is approved more resources could be added. What he doesn't say is that other projects, like the Subway to the Sea, are not in the existing LRTP either, yet were assigned millions of dollars in the FY 2010 budget.

This $10 million motion is the first step. We need a commitment of sustained funding from Metro that allows us to go into construction mode. We have presented Metro with schedule through 2013 that can concurrently build the line to Azusa and clear the maintenance yard.

In recent weeks, we have had great support at public meetings from representatives of the corridor cities. I want to point out the support of Sen. Carol Liu, who has written letters to Metro, and her District Director Tahra Goraya spoke in favor of the extension at the I Will Ride rally on May 7, Assemblymember Ed Hernandez's Measure R information meeting on May 9 and this week's Metro Budget and Finance Committee meeting.

We must continue to make the common-sense case for Metro to provide Measure R funds at the earliest available date consistent with the Measure R contract with the voters, so we can open in 2013. Please let us know if you can attend the meeting on May 28 at 9:30 a.m. at Metro headquarters. To RSVP contact Chris Lowe at (626) 305-7002 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

May 21, 2009 --

This is a very important step in the funding of the Extension and we appreciate the work of Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who made the motion, and Supervisor Gloria Molina, who made the case for spending money on a rail line that is ready to go and pointed out the inequity of spending tens of millions of dollars on rail lines that are still in the study phase. She asked Metro CEO Art Leahy: "Why would you allocate more money for [projects with] later start dates and less money for those that have earlier start dates?"

Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor, who also is vice chair of the Construction Authority's board of directors, highlighted the disparity between the funding schedule approved by the voters in Measure R and Metro's budget allocations. "The schedule says this: The Foothill light rail extension has funds available in 2010-12. The Westside subway extension has funds available in 2013-2015. And yet in the last budget [proposal] the Subway to the Sea has $12 million - $11.7 million - allocated three years before it's supposed to be due, according to the contract, and the Gold Line, which is ready to go and which is going to be creating jobs, is given the creation of one job for $127,000," he told the committee.

Now for the reality check: The motion to amend to budget still needs to be approved by the full Metro board at its meeting next Thursday. That is no guarantee and we will need your help at that meeting.

Moreover, the closer we get to turning dirt, the more hurdles Metro is placing in front of the Construction Authority. At the meeting, Leahy said the Construction Authority needs to submit a business plan, environmentally clear a maintenance yard and purchase the rail cars before Metro could make the commitment to fund construction. None of these conditions were in place until now, and none are in place for other rail lines. In fact, the Construction Authority presented Metro with a construction timeline weeks ago, the maintenance yard is needed to serve Metro's entire system and was planned for Phase 2B (Azusa to Claremont) and Metro is responsible for purchasing the rail cars.

We had great support from the cities along the Foothill Extension route. Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Claremont City Councilman Sam Pedroza and San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership President and Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Kurtz testified in favor of funding the Gold Line.

Mayor Bogaard summed it up best: "The Foothill Extension is the only rail project in the county ready to go and it can provide an early success story for the new sales tax under Measure R."

May 15, 2009 --

You may recall in February Metro staff released a timeline and budget that showed the Foothill Extension would receive $4 million in FY 2010. (See Attachment G of Item 44 which was circulated.) Metro allocated for the Gold Line Foothill Extension: $126,778 in FY 2010.

Metro board members and staff say they are committed to the Gold Line and will fund it. But what they don't say is that under Measure R, which Metro CEO Art Leahy calls a contract with voters, Metro must fund the Foothill Extension. The only question is: when will they fund it? No one has made that commitment.

The Pasadena Star News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune ran an editorial Thursday that summed up the situation: "The MTA will say well, the Gold Line will get money from the new Measure R half-cent sales tax. While it is scheduled to receive $735 million, the question is when. ... Some say the obfuscation and delays are happening, just as the San Gabriel Valley officials predicted last October when they campaigned against the measure. There are no guarantees when it comes to the MTA."

Fortunately, some board members are asking questions about how the funding priorities were determined. While she was not able to attend the meeting due to an illness, Supervisor Gloria Molina, whose district includes Azusa, made her presence felt through a series of written questions that were read by Supervisor Mike Antonovich (video here).

Molina highlighted the funding disparity for projects in Measure R that had the potential of receiving funds in 2010 -- Green Line, Foothill Extension, Expo II, San Fernando Valley North/South and Crenshaw, noting that the Green Line and Foothill Extension had "very little money programmed for them. ... Other projects that have later start dates have considerably more money allocated to them."

Here's how Metro allocated Measure R rail funds (See Page 36 of the Proposed FY10 Budget):

• Expo II: $61.1 million
• Subway to the Sea: $11.8 million
• Crenshaw: $8.1 million
• Regional Connector: $7.8 million
• Green Line: $204,972
• San Fernando Valley North/South rapid-ways: $554,715

Moreover, Metro is banking about $28 million in first-year rail revenues for future years.

Molina, along with Antonovich and Duarte Mayor John Fasana, requested that Metro staff increase the budgets for Green Line and the Foothill Extension and asked for details on how the other lines are going to spend their budget allocations. She asked for the budget revisions and spending reports to be delivered at the May 20 Finance and Budget Committee meeting. Furthermore, the South Bay cities are beginning to organize around the Green Line, according to the Daily Breeze. Our position was bolstered by Construction Authority Board Member and Claremont City Councilman Sam Pedroza who spoke in support of opening the Foothill Extension to Azusa in 2013.

We need your help in telling Metro that the San Gabriel Valley should get its funding in 2010. Please hold May 20 at 2:30 p.m. to attend Metro's Finance and Budget Committee meeting and May 28 at 9:30 a.m. for Metro's board meeting. If you can attend, please contact Chris Lowe at (626) 305-7002 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

May 11, 2009 --

Leahy emphasized the Foothill Extension is a priority for Metro but he did not commit to when the funds will flow. "We are duty bound, honor bound, to do the project," Leahy told the nearly 100 people in attendance at the Azusa Senior Center. He also recognized there is a rift between the Westside and San Gabriel Valley leaders and pledged to work to build consensus on the long-range plan.

Metro is currently analyzing financial data to determine how and when it will fund the projects promised to voters in the November ballot initiative. The board will discuss its finances and planning this Thursday (special board meeting on the budget), May 20 (public hearing on the budget and long-range plan) and May 28 (general board meeting). There is no Measure R Oversight Committee meeting in May.

Lastly, you may have heard some news that the Gold Line received federal stimulus package funding. The news refers to funding provided to the Eastside Extension, not the Foothill Extension. The Eastside Extension is scheduled to open in about a month. As we confirmed this morning, so-called "New Starts" stimulus rail funding went to projects currently in the federal grants stage. Had Metro included the Foothill Extension in its previous attempts at updating Long Range Transportation Plan and committed a small amount of funding, we would have been positioned to compete. As it stands today, our efforts are focused on securing Metro's commitment of Measure R funding in 2010; this means revenue service to Azusa in 2013. The Extension is guaranteed to receive at least $735 million to help us build the line to Claremont by 2017. The total project cost from Pasadena to Montclair is $1.2 billion.

May 4, 2009 --

The meeting is this coming Saturday, May 9 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Azusa Senior Center, 740 N. Dalton Ave., Azusa, CA 91702 (map), and will include updates by Metro staff on the long-anticipated Long Range Transportation Plan and on the projects most critical to the San Gabriel Valley (including the Foothill Extension).

As Metro gets ready to begin collecting millions of dollars from the one-half cent sales tax increase starting less than 60 days from now, the Assemblymember wants to hear from Metro the status of their planning to utilize the revenue and how they will optimize the money to help the local economy recover and provide jobs to the area's workers.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune recently ran an editorial that urged Metro to "include the Gold Line in its long-range plans at its May meeting and guarantee funding in 2010. This would enable construction to begin in June of that year and at least extend the existing line to Azusa by 2013."

This is an important meeting for the "ready-to-go" Foothill Extension project and I hope you will plan to attend. Please call me or Chris Lowe in my office at (626) 305-7002 for more information or for assistance with preparing for the meeting.

April 30, 2009 --

On May 7, Citrus College will host an "I Will Ride" rally to urge Metro to fund the extension in 2010. We can complete the next phase of the extension to Azusa in 2013 with Measure R funding, if Metro allocates the resources.

The rally will feature Citrus College President Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, supporters of the "I Will Ride" campaign, students and others from the dozen colleges and universities along the corridor.

The rally will take place Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. on the Campus Center Mall at Citrus College, 1000 West Foothill Blvd., in Glendora. For more information, click here I Will Ride. See you there.

April 27, 2009 --

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Pasadena Star News published an editorial over the weekend agreeing with compelling Metro board member comments at a recent meeting supporting the Gold Line Foothill Extension

The media continues to make a strong and logical case for funding the Foothill Extension with Measure R funds "sooner, rather than later" stressing the ultimate build-out of the project to the Ontario Airport. The media urges Metro's adoption of the project in its upcoming long range transportation plan to guarantee funding beginning in 2010; according to the Measure R Ordinance, funding is to be available that same year.

April 24, 2009 --

The Metro Board yesterday failed to take steps in securing a much needed maintenance facility as part of the Gold Line Foothill Extension project. The move to delay the item another two months sets up a series of likely operational limitations that could result in less frequent service and longer waits along the Eastside Extension and the Gold Line. The board referred the item to committee and the Long Range Plan process, despite a Metro board staff report that illustrated the affects upon vehicle shortage and identified preferred sites. Elected officials from the impacted cities of Duarte and Irwindale provided testimony in favor of Director Fasana's motion. Metro has not updated its Long Range Plan since 2001.

Director John Fasana, who made the motion to formalize the process for a new facility, sought time-certain financial commitments to the Foothill Extension. Metro board members say they are committed to funding the line but have not committed to a date or funding timeline. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said the Foothill Extension would come after the second phase of the Exposition Line to Santa Monica. New Metro CEO Art Leahy said that the Foothill Extension would be included in the early part of the Long Range Plan's schedule. The Measure R ordinance indicates funds will be available beginning 2010-12, with expected completion of the line in 2015-17.

Once again the Foothill Extension was well represented by testimony from: Irwindale Mayor Larry Burrola; Duarte Councilmembers Lois Gaston and Tzeitel Paras-Caracci; Duarte Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Finlay; and Claremont Councilmember Sam Pedroza, who also serves on the Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board.

April 17, 2009 --

As you can see from the meeting video, according to LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, "The Foothill Gold Line is well positioned - better positioned than any other single line right now with the possible exception of the No. 1 priority project of the agency, which is the completion of Phase 2 of Expo - to move, and move quickly. It's going to happen. I'm going to support it."

To show Supervisor Yaroslavsky our support, we'd like you to hold May 28th on your calendar to attend the Metro board meeting and help make the case for funding the Foothill Extension in 2010. The Foothill Extension is ready to go, and its construction can employ thousands of workers and infuse millions of dollars into the local economy.

April 8, 2009 --

You may have noticed that BNSF Railway has begun storing flatbed railcars on the tracks along the Foothill Extension alignment. BNSF, under an agreement with Metro, has the right to store the cars on the tracks. Recently, several cities along the route contacted the Construction Authority to find out what could be done to remove graffiti and increase security. We convened a meeting at the Construction Authority offices with BNSF and city officials to facilitate a discussion. BNSF has committed to developing a graffiti removal plan soon. The Pasadena Star-News covered the issue in Sunday's paper. I have also attached a link to a KTLA interview with Monrovia Mayor Rob Hammond. We appreciate Mayor Hammond's participation in bringing this situation to the forefront so that a solution to the tagging problem can be found.

April 2, 2009 --

Since the article appeared on Saturday we have received numerous inquiries, and we have decided to extend the submission deadline one month to May 26. For more information, please see the request for qualifications.

To accommodate what we expect to be international interest in shaping this landmark, an additional Pre-Qualification Conference was scheduled for April 24. The Authority is seeking to conduct a live feed video teleconference for the benefit of the many out of the area artists that have expressed interest.

This is a milestone moment in our progress. We are continuing to do everything we can to be ready to turn dirt when funding from Metro comes through.

March 30, 2009 --

Today, the board once again delayed taking any action to approve a revised LRTP based on Measure R. However, during the debate on the Fasana motion, we got some answers we have been seeking for several months:

• The LRTP won't be considered until the May meeting at the earliest and possibly not until the June meeting, which will be less than two weeks before Metro begins collecting the Measure R half-cent sales tax.

• Incoming CEO Art Leahy will influence the funding allocations and timelines of the Measure R projects. Staff acknowledged they were waiting for Leahy to start the job on April 6 before moving forward. You'll recall Metro released a draft LRTP in January but it was immediately tabled to wait for the President to sign the federal stimulus package.

Procedurally, the board voted 7-5 on a motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to move the Fasana proposal to the Planning and Programming Committee for further discussion. We'll keep you posted if the panel considers the item.

We want to thank Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Glendora City Councilmember Doug Tessitor and Duarte City Councilmember Tzeitel Paras-Caracci for testifying in support of the Fasana motion. Collectively, they urged the board to move forward so the Foothill Extension can be built quickly, relieve congestion in the San Gabriel Valley and stimulate the economy of Los Angeles County.

Though he voted to send the motion to committee for more discussion, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said: "People of LA County are in support of the extension of the Gold Line, they voted for it."