Station Sneak Preview: LA Metro Foothill Extension 2B
A few photos and a progress update on the upcoming A Line extension to Pomona
A few weeks ago, I was able to bike over to the new Foothill Extension stations and check out the practically finished state of the stations. Join me and I’ll take you through three of the new stations (Glendora, La Verne / Fairplex and Pomona - North) and give you my thoughts on the new extension.
Background
Built by a special joint-powers authority, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, the Foothill Extension adds four new stations past the current terminus, APU/Citrus College. These stations are Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona (North). In the future, the A line will be extended further past Pomona, to Claremont and ultimately Montclair.
On January 3rd, 2025, the Extension reached substantial completion and was turned over to Metro. This means that the new stations were essentially operational, and any construction left to do was almost entire cosmetic and not important to actual operations. Since then, Metro has begun testing and running trains in pre-revenue service. In fact, some keen-eyed transit enthusiasts have spotted a train with a Pomona North headsign.
Seeing this, I decided to go check out the stations for myself and take photos of the progress, as well as trains in testing. So, without further ado, here’s my coverage of the new Foothill Extension:
Glendora Station
Glendora is one of the most interesting stations on the new extension. Located at the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Ada Avenue in Glendora, California, this station has a second entrance that can be accessed from it’s namesake Glendora Entrance. The primary entrance is at Vermont Avenue, with a small plaza with seating, art as well a secure bike building, and traditional U-racks. The bike building will presumably be part of the Metro Bike Hub program. The second entrance is in the middle of a long pedestrian path connecting Vermont and Glendora Avenues using the rail right-of-way, with a tunnel underneath the tracks. Entering through this tunnel leads to a second ramp which leads up to the platform.
When I visited this station, I noticed that the platform itself looked quite complete. Currently, it seems like they are applying finishing touches and removing construction materials.
La Verne / Fairplex Station
Unfortunately, during my visit to the stations along the extension, I was unable to visit San Dimas station. The next station up on the list is La Verne / Fairplex Station. Just like Glendora, the art, platform and plaza are all complete at La Verne / Fairplex. There are a few residue construction materials, but other than that, the station is complete. A recurring theme you’ll see across these stations is they all have a wide plaza, with regular bike U-locks, a secure bike facility, ample seating, greenery and security cameras.
Pomona (North) Station
The last station, but not least, on our list is Pomona (North). This station will be a great addition to the Metro station for a few reasons. Not only will this be the future terminus for the A line, it will also be a easy transfer to the Metrolink San Bernardino Line. Located directly across the parking, the San Bernardino Line platform is visible at the very left of the top picture. You can also spot the secure bike facility, as well as spaces for TAP vending machines, as well as ample seating, greenery, and two ramps up to the platform. Unfortunately, this station was not as complete as the other stations, and had signs preventing people into the actual plaza area. There still needs to be railing installed, but the actual station is looking very complete.
Conclusion
All in all, the new Foothill Extension for the Metro A line is looking very exciting! The opening of these stations will cut down travel times for many commuting to Azusa, Pasadena, and even Los Angeles. Easy connections to the Metrolink San Bernardino Line will improve greater regional connectivity, opening up new options for everyone. Once the extension opens, I hope to see you all onboard!