Render of the Montclair A Line train station in California, US. (Image courtesy Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority)

The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (FGLCA), which is overseeing the decades-long Foothill Gold Line light rail extension project, for one phase of the build and rejected the sole proposal it received.

The project is part of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) system.

That bid was from Kiewit-Parsons, a joint venture between US-based construction contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West (regional arm of Kiewit) and engineering firm Parsons, which specialises in transportation infrastructure and design-build delivery.

The procurement in question was for Phase 2B2 of the Foothill Gold Line extension � a 3.2-mi, about $800-million segment between Pomona and Montclair, California, which forms the final portion of the broader $2-billion, 12.3-mi Glendora to Montclair Foothill Gold Lin extension. That full extension is expected in phases, with the 9.1-mi Glendora to Pomona section was declared substantially complete.

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The change in project types will shift the delivery method from a design-build contract to a construction manager/general contractor at-risk (CMAR) model.

FGLCA said, “The authority will now assess the best strategy and method to deliver the remaining work, with the intention of soliciting a contractor to participate in the design process and provide pre-construction services to ensure the final scope is constructible and cost-effective.�

, a week before the decision, the board heard from Ken Simonson, chief economist at the Associated General Contractors of America, who warned of rising costs and risks tied to rail construction. The report cited tariffs on steel and aluminium, labour shortages, and federal immigration policies as key cost drivers, particularly in California. FGLCA CEO Habib Balian called the presentation “sobering.�

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Procurement cancelled after single bid comes in high

An LA Metro Gold Line light rail train (Image: Adobe Stock)

On March 26, the FGLCA announced it would cancel the Light Rail Trackwork, Systems and Integration (LRTSI) design-build procurement for Phase 2B2. The decision followed the receipt of one proposal by the March 25 deadline � a bid the agency deemed “non-competitive� and significantly over budget.

“The authority has a responsibility to the taxpayers to be prudent with the funding we receive,� the agency stated. “The one proposal received� was not reasonable or competitive based on an extensive cost and scope evaluation and comparison to the engineer’s estimate.�

The cancelled package would have covered track installation, power systems, signalling, and communications infrastructure for the 3.2-mi Pomona-to-Montclair segment.

The FGLCA now plans to repackage the contract using a CMAR approach, a model its officials believe will allow for more contractor contribution during the design phase.

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Image courtesy Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority

The Montclair segment is the final phase of a regional transit corridor that began construction in the early 2000s.

In 2019, Kiewit-Parsons JV won the $805.6 million design-build contract for the Glendora to Pomona segment (Phase 2B1). That 9.1-mi section reached substantial completion in late 2024/early 2025, delivering four new stations and major infrastructure upgrades.

Montclair was originally included as an option in the 2019 contract, but funding fell short before the deadline to exercise that option. A new contract is now required to complete the final 3.2 miles of the extension.

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The Pomona to Montclair phase would also mark the A Line’s first crossing from Los Angeles County into San Bernardino County,

The FGLCA expects to begin construction on the Montclair segment before the end of 2025, pending a revised contract and procurement strategy.

A new timeline and scope are expected later this year.

If completed, the extension project would make the full A Line span more than 50 miles from Downtown Long Beach to Montclair.