Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Damien Talks

#DamienTalks SGV 27 – Habib Balian and the Next Gold Line Foothill Extension

9:03 AM PST on February 3, 2017

The Foothill Gold Line pulling into Arcadia

Today, #DamienTalks with Habib Balian, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. Last week, the Construction Authority's board of directors approved a construction schedule that was characterized as both a milestone for the project and a delay from the original time schedule pending your news source.

Damien Talks SGV logo

Regardless of you point of view on the schedule, there is no denying that the extension of the Gold Line all the way to Montclair in San Bernadino County is going to happen. It might take eight years, but groundbreaking is going to begin this October and over 90% of the funding for the project is already in place thanks to Measure M in Los Angeles County and Measure I in San Bernadino County.

Before we finish our talk, I give Balian a chance to respond to our most recent podcast with Wes Reutimann, the executive director of Bike SGV. Reutimann pointed out that demand for bike lockers is much higher than the lockers supplied at the recently completed Gold Line Foothill extensions. Balian offered verbal support for building more bike facilities and encouraged activists to continue the conversation on bike parking and access throughout the next several months.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Eyes on the Station: Metro Fortified Turnstiles at MacArthur Park Station

Metro fortified turnstile entrances at MacArthur Park in order to curb fare-evading riders; sometimes this has adverse impacts on fare-paying riders

September 27, 2023

Streetfilms Tours Emeryville, the Little City that Can

Did somebody say "encore?" Safe streets rock star John Bauters, Mayor of Emeryville, population less-than 13,000, gave Streetfilms producer Clarence Eckerson a tour of his city

September 27, 2023

Guest Opinion: Metro Should Treat Walk and Bike Projects with the Respect They Deserve

Prioritizing true first mile/last mile infrastructure isn’t somehow optional; it’s how your customers get to and from the transit stations.

September 27, 2023

‘I’m Not Grieving Alone’: New Play Explores a Father’s Journey After Losing Two Children to Traffic Violence

Colin Campbell and his wife Gail Lerner lost both their children in a car crash with impaired driver. A new play explores how to talk about similar tragedies.

September 27, 2023
See all posts