Here’s the news release from the Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority, the agency building the 11.5 mile extension of the Gold Line from eastern Pasadena to the Azusa/Glendora border. A further extension of the Gold Line beyond Azusa is in Metro’s long-range plan but is not currently funded; officials in San Bernardino County have long expressed a desire to one day extend the line to the Ontario Airport.

Alan Wapner, Ontario Councilman, is appointed by San Bernardino Associated Governments

 MONROVIA, Calif. – At their January meeting this week, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority) Board of Directors welcomed its newest member – Ontario Councilman Alan Wapner, appointed by the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG).

Councilman Wapner joins the nine-member board following passage last year of Assembly Bill 1600 (Torres) which amended the Construction Authority’s enabling legislation to extend the Foothill Extension project boundaries to Montclair in San Bernardino County. The change also made Montclair an “Extension city” and SANBAG a non-voting member of the Construction Authority board of directors.

“We are very excited to have Councilman Wapner on our board,” said Construction Authority Board Chairman and Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor. “We are focused on getting the line out to San Bernardino County, first to Montclair and then to Ontario, and having a representative from San Bernardino County on the board will help provide an important perspective that will help us reach that goal.”

The Construction Authority is overseeing planning, design and construction of the $1.6 billion Foothill Extension light rail project, which will extend the Metro Gold Line light rail line from its current terminus in Pasadena, 24 miles to Montclair (an subsequent extension to LA/Ontario International Airport has also been studied). The Construction Authority is currently under construction on the first segment of the project – the 11.5-mile Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa, which is on schedule to be completed in 2015. The Construction Authority is also underway on the final environmental review for the Azusa to Montclair segment. In August 2012 the Construction Authority published a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a 45-day public review and comment period. The Final EIR is anticipated early this year.

“This is the right time for San Bernardino to be joining the Construction Authority board and I am honored that SANBAG chose to appoint me,” stated Councilman Wapner. “I have been a strong supporter of the Foothill Extension project over the years, and believe that we can achieve our goal of ultimately connecting Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire by this light rail line.”

About the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority)

The Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1999 by the California State Legislature. Its purpose is to extend the Metro Gold Line light rail line from Union Station to Montclair, along the foothills of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. The Construction Authority built the initial segment from Union Station to Pasadena and is underway on the Gold Line Foothill Extension.

For more information, visit: www.foothillextension.org.