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2020 Gold Line Updates

Gold Line News

January 2020

At the January 8, 2020, meeting of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Board of Directors, Board members approved motions that appear to reverse comments made in September 2019 that SBCTA should consider ending its collaboration with Metro on the Gold Line extension to Montclair and consider other alternatives. Specifically, the Board considered the following:

  • Agenda Item 13. The Board recognized that in 2018, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) secured a $290 million Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant for Phase 2B of the Gold Line extension from Azusa to Montclair.  Of this total, $41 million is allocated for work in San Bernardino County, from Claremont to Montclair.  SBCTA staff had considered returning the $41 million to the state, but the agenda report now indicates SBCTA staff recommends retention of the funds.  The Board approved retaining the $41 million TIRCP grant for construction of the Montclair Segment of the Gold Line extension.
  • Agenda Item 14. The Board was asked to consider transferring the operation and maintenance of the Arrow hybrid-rail vehicles for the Arrow service (diesel-multiple trains operating between San Bernardino and Redlands) from Omnitrans to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), as the Federal Railroad Administration identified railroad of record and the current commuter rail service provider in San Bernardino County.  The Board recognized that a number of incorrect assumptions were made regarding costs and Omnitrans’ operation of rail as a stand-alone service provider, and that rail-related services, including maintenance and operation, would be more cost effective if provided by SCRRA.  The Board also recognized that the cost of liability insurance made rail service operations by Omnitrans cost prohibitive, and that SBCTA, through Omnitrans, would be entering into rail operations with no previous rail operations history, further resulting in risk and higher risk premiums.  The Board approved awarding rail service operations to SCRRA, subject to acceptance of that role by SCRRA
  • Agenda Item 17. The Board was asked to direct SBCTA staff on a funding strategy for the West Valley Connector (WVCA) Phase I Project that includes an allocation of up to $53 million in uncommitted transit funds and requests for at least $65 million in TIRCP grant funds, with contingency funding of up to $50 million in uncommitted transit funds in the case of unsuccessful grant requests.  The WVCA is a proposed 35 mile-long bus rapid transit corridor that would connect the cities of Pomona, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana.  Holt Boulevard would serve as the corridor’s backbone, with stations space 0.5 to 1 mile apart.  Stations would be designed for fast boarding to facilitate higher operating speeds.  The total project cost is $287 million.  In December 2019, the Board identified a $118 million WVCA funding gap.  To close the gap, SBCTA proposed seeking at least $65 million in grant funding from a variety of sources, and close the remaining gap with $53 million in uncommitted transit funds.  However, if the WVCA funding gap is closed with grant dollars, the $53 million in uncommitted transit funds would be identified for other uses, including $17.4 million for construction of the Montclair Segment of the Gold Line extension.  Uncommitted transit funds would be in addition to the $41 million in TIRCP funds approved for the Montclair Segment in April 2018, and $39 million in committed local and state formula dollars.  If $17.4 million in uncommitted transit funds is made available, it would satisfy the $97.4 million requirement to construct the Montclair Segment.  The funds would include the $41 million TIRCP + $39 million in state and local formula + $17.4 million in uncommitted transit = $97.4 million.  The Board approved the recommendations.

The above SBCTA Board actions appear to affirm that the County’s transportation agency is working to secure the required funding for the Montclair Segment of the Gold Line.

During a presentation made by SBCTA Executive Director Dr. Ray Wolfe, Dr. Wolfe stated that he and SBCTA are committed to building the Gold Line to Montclair and beyond to ONT as a means to achieve transit connectivity between the regions of Southern California.  When funding is developed to extend the Gold Line from Pomona to Claremont, SBCTA will be prepared to move forward with its commitment to complete the extension to Montclair.  Assembly Member Holden and Assembly Member Rodriguez reiterated their commitment to develop the funding that would build the Gold Line extension to Montclair.

Assembly Member Chris Holden (41st District) introduced Assembly Bill 2011 (AB 2011), a bill that would establish the West San Bernardino County Rail Construction Authority (WSBCRCA), laying the groundwork to extend the Gold Line to Ontario International Airport (ONT). According to Assembly Member Holden, “Light-rail is playing a critical role in reducing our carbon footprint, improving air quality, and connecting communities throughout the region….these benefits will expand into San Bernardino County once the Metro Gold Line Extension to Montclair is completed, and have a greater impact if extended to Ontario Airport.” The WSBCRCA would have responsibility to construct the Gold Line extension from Montclair to ONT, with representation to include one voting representative from Montclair, Upland, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), SBCTA, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro); and one non-voting member appointed by the Governor. Montclair has recommended that the bill be amended to extend the WSBCRCA’s authority to begin at Pomona. This amendment recognizes that if $468 million in state funding for the Pomona to Montclair extension is not developed by October 2021, the project would become independent of the current procurement from Azusa to Pomona. Further, the Pomona to Montclair extension would then require federal transit funding for completion. Under this revised scenario, the WSBCRCA would also include voting membership from both Pomona and Claremont.

February 2020

Senator Anthony Portantino introduced Senate Bill 1390, which would create a new construction authority to extend the Gold Line from Montclair to Ontario International Airport. The legislation is modeled very closely after the legislation that created the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority in 1998 and is similar, in some regards, to Assembly Bill 2011, authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden and introduced in January 2020.

Unlike AB 2011, however, SB 1390 requires the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) to complete the following transfers to a new construction authority (the “Montclair to Ontario Airport Construction Authority”, or MOACA):

  1. The unencumbered balance of all local funds programmed for completion of the Gold Line Project in San Bernardino County (approximately $80 million developed locally for construction of the Montclair Segment);
  2. The unencumbered balance of all funds identified by a local transaction and use tax measure (Measure I); and
  3. An unspecified source of funding to MOACA for completion of the project ─ presumably, this language relates to any future funding developed for construction to Ontario International Airport (ONT). It is likely that funding to ONT would derive from federal, state and local sources, with the latter probably coming from the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) and a future extension of Measure I.

SBCTA would also be required to enter into an agreement that would transfer to a trust held by MOACA all real property interests held by SBCTA that are necessary for the planning, design, and construction of the project, at no cost to MOACA.

SB 1390 would require MOACA to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) authorizing Metro to review any significant changes to the scope of the design or construction, or both.  Metro would be responsible for operating all completed phases of the Gold Line Extension, and SBCTA would be required to reimburse Metro for costs related to operating the Gold Line in San Bernardino County.

SB 1390 appears to correct many of the weaknesses of AB 2011, including the following:

  1. Creates a construction authority for the purpose of extending the Gold Line from Montclair to ONT. AB 2011 only created an agency to provide rail access to ONT, potentially creating jurisdictional ambiguity that leaves the mandate to extend the Gold Line to ONT vague.
  2. Requiring SBCTA to provide right of way (ROW) to MOACA consolidates jurisdictional authority and potentially eliminates disagreements over extension of the Gold Line to Montclair and ONT.
  3. Requiring SBCTA to turn over to Metro locally developed funding for the Montclair Segment would give the Foothill Gold Line Extension Construction Authority financial control over construction of the Montclair Segment; however, there remains no commitment of funds to extend the Project to ONT.
  4. Requiring MOACA to design the San Bernardino County portion of the Gold Line extension in accordance with Metro design criteria would guarantee effective integration with the greater Metro light rail system and provide for a coordinated meet up of the Gold Line extension at the Montclair Transcenter.
  5. Placing operational control of the San Bernardino County Segment of the Gold Line under Metro and requiring reimbursement by SBCTA of operating costs eliminates potential future conflicts over frequency of station stops, maintenance and safety issues, and other potential sources of disagreement.

Similar to AB 2011, SB1390 would require MOACA to be governed by a board consisting of seven voting members and one non-voting member.  The city councils of the cities of Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland would each appoint one voting member and alternate member to the governing board; and SBCTA, Metro, and the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) would each appoint one voting member and alternate member.  The non-voting member would be appointed by the Governor.

Assemblymember Holden has tentatively agreed to pull AB 2011, provided SBCTA makes concessions to commit to building the Gold Line to Montclair and, ultimately, beyond to Ontario International Airport (ONT).  There is no indication that Senator Portantino would take the same stance.

The legislative drive to create a separate construction authority from Montclair to ONT was triggered by a September 2019 comment by the SBCTA Executive Director to “Throw in the Towel” on the Montclair Segment of the Gold Line, and redirect developed funding to other purposes.  Since January 2020, the Executive Director has walked back his comments and the SBCTA Board has committed to securing the funds to complete the Gold Line extension to Montclair.

November 2020

During a virtual meeting Metrolink held in late October regarding the impact of the ongoing public health crisis on transportation and transit services throughout the region, Montclair inquired if Metrolink was satisfied with the results of the Los Angeles Metro Conceptual Design / Planning in Support of the Metrolink San Bernardino Line / Gold Line Task Force Study. The study supports both rail services running parallel to the Montclair Transcenter, and concludes that following implementation of the SCORE grant headway improvements on the San Bernardino Line and the arrival of the Gold Line at the Montclair Transcenter, ridership on both transit services is expected to increase significantly. Metrolink representatives agreed that the study satisfies their concerns and that the operation of both lines on parallel tracks will not compete for ridership on the respective services.

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