L.A. Metro's Foothill Gold Line extension to open in spring 2016

The first segment of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) Gold Line Foothill Extension is slated to open to the public on March 5, 2016, the agency announced yesterday.

Funded by the 2008 Measure R countywide sales tax, the $1 billion project will extend the Metro Gold Line 12 miles east to Azusa, Calif., with new stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, downtown Azusa, and near the campuses of Azusa Public University and Citrus College.

The line has taken about five years to build, with major construction completed in September 2015.

Metro has now accepted delivery of the rail line extension and will perform pre-revenue operations testing over the next several months.

"Our testing and training process before we open any rail line is a big part of making safety Metro’s number one priority," said Phillip Washington, Metro's chief executive officer. "But once the Gold Line Extension opens to the public in March it will be yet another example of our regional investment in transforming transportation across this region."

In addition to testing the trains themselves, the agency will test 23 miles of main train tracks. The line traverses 24 bridges and passes 14 at-grade street crossings, Metro officials said in a news release.

The agency has not yet secured the additional $1 billion needed to build the extension's second segment, which would add 12.3 more miles between Azusa and Montclair.