Arcadia Gold Line Station Relocated – Slightly

By Amy Leong
Adding to the one of many new developments and dramatic changes in Arcadia, the Gold Line’s Relocation breakthrough was decided at the end of June to create easier transportation for nearly everyone involved. After months of planning, the City of Arcadia was informed that the Gold Line station is relocating from the eastside of First Avenue to the westside of First Avenue. However, the extension not only affects the Gold Line, but the parking lot located on the Westside will also be extended to four levels instead of the original two, which also creates safety to those who are crossing the parking lots to the station platforms.
As far as the station platform designs, the once chosen color scheme of plain vanilla is now in the process of being approved, instead to reflect elements of the Santa Anita Park. Added to the station canopy (rooftop) and station platform benches as well, the thoroughbred horse theme is tentatively to be funded by Santa Anita Park.
In addition to the new dramatic relocation, a major agreement was finally signed by Metro and the Foothill Extension Construction Authority on July 2 to formalize the schedule of funding (totaling $810 million) over the next nine years and to layout the working relationship between the two agencies. During Phase 2A, L.A. County’s Measure R half-cent sales tax approved in November 2008 will adhere to many transportation improvements in the county, the Gold Line being the first and is also likely to be the single largest public works contract awarded in 2011 anywhere in the nation.
With the new expansion in progress, the new Gold Line Bridge will be extended an additional 11.4 miles from the Sierra Madre Villa station in Pasadena. Designed by a Minnesota artist, the Gold Line Bridge is expected to bring in $1 billion in economic output during construction, $40 million in tax revenues, and 7000 jobs with 2600 in construction alone. Because of the artist’s inspiration of the area’s frequent snakes and Chumash Native Americans, the structure was designed to include four basket-shaped columns that light up.
As one of the first projects to be state funded, a major dedication ceremony was held on Saturday, June 26 at New Castle Park in Arcadia. Filled with more than 700 attendees, including officials that traveled from Washington D.C. and Sacramento, hundreds awaited the brand-new iconic freeway structure production to begin. Five-hundred and eighty-four foot long, the bridge is to be built from across the eastbound lanes of the Foothill Freeway to the area north of New Castle Park. A week after the ceremonial dedication, the master Cooperative and FTA agreement signing took place. Because of the multiple expansions and phases, the date of completion is adjusted to fall of 2014. Although many of us look forward to the new construction taking place, there are also complications which may even delay or prevent the extension. Some of these challenges include gaining permission from track owners Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to share use of the tracks east of Arcadia with Metro as well as an environmental review and purchase of land for the Maintenance and Operations Facility. However, Phase 2B – the foothill extension from Azusa to Montclair will include stops in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona and Claremont and is scheduled to be completed in 2017. As far as the relocation goes, the Gold Line may take numerous amounts of weeks, months, and years before it even comes close to completion, but with Skanska USA Civil West and AECOM Technical Services, these two companies will do the best they can to begin the “Iconic Freeway Structure” and follow through with their contract with an $18.6 million bid. As soon as the designs, acquire permits, and hire contractors are finalized and approved, Metro believes that the bride construction will generate 500 engineering and construction jobs, looking toward a brighter future for Gold Line passengers, council, and employees taking part in this exciting, new creation.

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