At the November SBCTA Board of Directors meeting, Executive Director Dr. Ray Wolfe outlined plans to provide increased service frequency along the Metrolink San Bernardino Line between the cities of Rancho Cucamonga and Pomona. It was shown that by using the same type of hybrid-rail trains that will be used on the Redlands Passenger Rail Project, the more efficient trains can run 30-minute bi-directional service between Rancho Cucamonga and Pomona.
Los Angeles County Metro’s Gold Line light rail system was initially planned to extend to the transit center in the City of Montclair. Due to increased development and construction costs, the current Gold Line extension is currently slated to terminate in Pomona. The current contract has a $550 million estimate to extend that service from Pomona to Montclair. That contract requires the extension to be funded within two years to honor that price. The extension is currently unfunded.
Preliminary cost estimates for the proposed enhancement of frequency to the Metrolink service between Rancho Cucamonga and Pomona is approximately $55 million. That investment would provide minor infrastructure improvements such as additional tracks for train storage, platform modifications and signal upgrades, as well as the purchase of two new hybrid-rail trains.
The SBCTA Board of Directors approved the staff recommendation to enter into talks with representatives from Metrolink and LA County Metro to develop a plan that would increase Metrolink service between Rancho Cucamonga and Pomona. Staff will report back the results of its discussions with its regional partners at the December 12th meeting of the SBCTA transit Committee.