Regional Connector funding benefits Foothill Gold Line

The following statement was issued Monday by Habib F. Balian, CEO at the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority:
“Last week, federal and local officials announced award of a nearly $700 million federal grant for construction of the Regional Connector project in downtown Los Angeles. This was a critical achievement for the county, which was relying on such a grant in their financial planning for the project. The federal grant is the first of its kind to be awarded to the county in nearly two decades and will be added to a number of other funding sources – including Measure R – to provide the full funding needed to build this very complicated and important project.”
“This news is especially significant to the Gold Line and Foothill Gold Line, because the Regional Connector directly benefits our system. Once completed, the Regional Connector will link the Gold Line with the Blue Line systems, and provide seamless trips between Azusa and Long Beach. Additionally, the Construction Authority estimates that ridership on the Gold Line system will increase by 10% once the Regional Connector is operational. That is of course in addition to the tens of thousands of new rides to be initiated once the Foothill Gold Line to Azusa goes on-line, following construction completion in September 2015.”

Once completed, the Regional Connector will link the Gold Line with the Blue Line systems, and provide seamless trips between Azusa and Long Beach. Meanwhile construction continues at a steady clip in Duarte and Monrovia. -Photos by Terry Miller

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