California Public Utilities Commission Approves Noise Measures For Foothill Gold Line

MONROVIA, Calif., Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a request by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority to implement noise mitigation for the street-level (or at-grade) rail crossings near residential areas along the Foothill Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa. The mitigation measures approved by the CPUC include the installation of shrouds (or covers) that direct the sound of the warning bells down to the intersection, as well as the ability to silence the bells once the crossing gates are in the horizontal position when a light rail train is approaching.

"We are very pleased that the CPUC agreed to allow the Authority to install these measures not only in the areas of the corridor that will be served solely by light rail, but also within the shared corridor that is served by freight as well," commented Construction Authority CEO Habib F. Balian. "It has been our experience that these simple measures provide a significant quality of life benefit for the area residents."

Earlier this year, the CPUC approved the requested mitigation measures within the non-shared corridor, including crossings in the cities of Monrovia and Duarte. The recent decision expanded the use of these measures within the nearly four mile shared corridor with freight, that impacts the city of Azusa. The at-grade crossings impacted by the CPUC approvals include:

• Mayflower Ave, Monrovia
• Magnolia Ave, Monrovia
• California Ave, Monrovia
• Mountain Ave, Monrovia/Duarte
• Buena Vista Ave, Duarte
• Virginia Ave, Azusa
• San Gabriel Ave, Azusa
• Azusa Ave, Azusa
• Dalton Ave, Azusa
• Pasadena Ave, Azusa

"We installed shrouds and were allowed to silence the bells for several crossings within the first segment of the Gold Line through Pasadena, South Pasadena, and Los Angeles," added Balian. "They have been shown over more than a decade of use to be very successful at reducing noise for area residents while maintaining the highest standards for safety."

About the Foothill Gold Line - The Foothill Gold Line is a nearly $2 billion, 12-station extension of the Metro Gold Line light rail system, being overseen by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority, an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature. The project is planned in two segments – Pasadena to Azusa and Azusa to Montclair. The Pasadena to Azusa segment is fully funded by Los Angeles County's Measure R and is on budget and on schedule to be completed in September 2015 when it will be turned over to Metro for testing and pre-revenue service. Measure R is funding the majority of the cost associated with the advanced conceptual engineering and environmental work for the Azusa to Montclair segment (San Bernardino County will fund their portion of the work), which will be shovel ready in 2017. The Construction Authority is currently seeking $1 billion needed to construct the Azusa to Montclair segment.

SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority