The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority’s (Construction Authority) 11.5-mile Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project from Pasadena to Azusa is now more than halfway to project completion.

When completed, the nearly $1 billion Measure R project will include six new light rail stations with intermodal parking facilities in the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa; two dozen new and rebuilt bridge structures; 14 at-grade street crossings; 3.6-miles of relocated freight track within a shared corridor with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. Railway; and a 24-acre, $265 million Operations Campus to house up to 84 light rail vehicles.

“We were the first Measure R rail project to break ground, and we have stayed on schedule and on budget since we began work in 2010,” said Construction Authority CEO Habib F. Balian. “We still have a significant way to go to substantial completion, but the progress already made provides the confidence that we will be able to meet our schedule and deliver this regionally significant project on time and on budget.”

All three design-build project contracts have been awarded for the project: the $18.6 million Gold Line Bridge to Skanska USA; the $486 million Pasadena to Azusa Alignment to Foothill Transit Constructors — a Kiewit-Parsons Joint Venture (FTC); and the $48.7 million Intermodal Parking and Enhancements to Webcor. The Gold Line Bridge was completed on time and on budget in late 2012 and recognized in 2013 with five industry awards for its design and construction.

The largest contract — the $486 million Pasadena to Azusa Alignment — is being designed and built by FTC and is on schedule and on budget. Since work began in early 2012, FTC has utilized nearly 500,000 work hours on the project and has now surpassed 50% completion.

To date, eight at-grade street crossings, 15 bridge structures, 40% of the Operations Campus and 70% of the utility work has been completed. The freight track between San Gabriel Ave. in Azusa and the Glendora city border has been fully realigned to its new position south of the future light rail tracks, more than half of the overhead catenary system foundations have been put in place, and light rail track is starting to be installed. Of the nearly half million work hours completed, none have been lost due to injury.

The Alignment and Parking contracts will be completed in 18 months. The Construction Authority anticipates having the Operations Campus ready for Metro in March 2015 and the remainder of the project turned over to Metro in September 2015 for testing and pre-revenue service. Metro will decide when the project opens for passenger service.