California commission OKs noise measures for Foothill Gold Line

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) late last week approved the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority's request to implement noise mitigation measures at grade crossings near neighborhoods along the line from Pasadena to Azusa, Calif.

The approved measures include installation of covers that will direct the sound of warning bells down to the intersection, as well as the ability to silence bells once the crossing gates are down when a light-rail train is approaching, according to an authority-issued press release.

The approval allows the authority to implement the measures not only in areas that will be served solely by light rail, but also within the shared corridor served by freight rail, said authority Chief Executive Officer Habib Balian.

Earlier this year, the CPUC approved mitigation measures within the non-shared corridor, including crossings in the cities of Monrovia and Duarte. The recent decision expanded the use of these measures within the nearly four-mile shared corridor that affects Azusa.