Light-rail tracks installed for Foothill Gold Line in California

Local officials and project stakeholders last week marked the completion of the Foothill Gold Line track for the 11.5-mile light-rail project between Pasadena and Azusa, Calif.

An event was held near the future downtown Azusa station to celebrate the installation of the last of nearly 300,000 e-clips that attached the rail to concrete ties. A sidewalk marker also was unveiled during the ceremony, recognizing the importance of the project's connection between the cities of Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa, Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority officials said in a press release.

"Installing 28-miles of light-rail track is an enormous milestone for our project," said Glendora City Council Member and Foothill Gold Line Chairman Doug Tessitor. "It took many months and the hard work of many talented people to get to this point."

The Foothill Gold Line is a $2 billion, 12-station extension of the Metro Gold Line light-rail system. The project is planned in two segments: Pasadena to Azusa, and Azusa to Montclair. The Pasadena-to-Azusa segment is fully funded by Los Angeles County's Measure R and is on schedule to be completed in September 2015.