Major milestone reached to ready 2.3-mile Pomona to Claremont project that will extend the Metro A Line to Claremont

, /PRNewswire/ – At their meeting today, the board of directors for the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (Construction Authority) voted unanimously to award the design and engineering services contract for the Claremont Extension of the Metro A Line light rail system to the engineering firm of Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. (Parsons). This major milestone followed a competitive procurement process that saw bids from multiple teams.

"While we evaluated three highly qualified teams, Parsons distinguished themselves as the clear leader for the Claremont Extension," stated Foothill Gold Line Board Chair and Claremont Vice Mayor, Ed Reece. "Their deep experience designing light rail projects, including with previous phases of the Foothill Gold Line, ensures they possess the specialized expertise needed to deliver this critical phase, bringing us one step closer to fulfilling our 25-station mandate and enhancing regional mobility, quality of life, and the environment."

The six-year, $60 million design and engineering services contract is the first of two major contracts to be awarded as part of the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method that was adopted by the Construction Authority for the project last year. The contract will include designing all elements of the 2.3-mile light rail extension from its current design level of approximately 30% to "Approved for Construction" drawings, as well as supporting the project with any needed design services during construction.

Parsons was determined to be the top proposer of the three teams that competed for the design and engineering services contract following a two-step evaluation process. Parsons scored highest (94 points out of 100) on the evaluation criteria related to the company’s competence and qualifications, as presented in their written proposal, which took into consideration team qualifications such as relevant experience, financial stability, staffing and team organization, and project plan and approach. They also received the highest score during the interview stage (47 points out of 50).

"Parsons has led design teams for each phase of this project for the past 25 years, and we are excited to once again be selected to continue that legacy," said Mark Fialkowski, president, Infrastructure North America for Parsons. "Extending light rail options opens access to neighborhoods that were once limited for commuters. The A Line expansion will improve commuter and visitor access between downtown Los Angeles and the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. It is rewarding for everyone who has been involved at Parsons to see the next segment move forward to design and come one step closer to fruition."

The procurement process to hire the contractor (through a construction manager contract) – the second of the two contracts needed to deliver the project by CMAR - is currently underway, with the Construction Authority board today also approving release of the Request for Proposals (RFP), following a successful industry review period of the draft RFP that was completed late last year. The construction manager contract is expected to be awarded this May and will include an initial phase of work during project design that includes providing constructability reviews, value engineering, third party coordination and cost estimating; with the possibility of building the project if the team successfully negotiates a construction services contract with an acceptable price once the project reaches 85%-90% design. Assuming a successful bid for the construction work, it is expected that major construction would begin in late-2027/early-2028 and take approximately four years to complete.

***About the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority – ****The Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design and build the Metro A Line system from Union Station to Claremont (later extended to Montclair). Over the last 26 years, the agency has successfully completed more than 34 miles of light rail and 23 stations over three construction segments – Union Station to Pasadena in 2003, Pasadena to Azusa in 2015, and Glendora to Pomona in 2025 – all on time and on budget. The final 3.3-mile, two-station project segment from Pomona to Montclair, which will include stations in the cities of Claremont and Montclair, will be built in separate projects. *

***About Parsons – ***Parsons has decades of experience designing, delivering, and protecting the infrastructure that connects communities around the world, including roads and highways; bridges; passenger and freight rail; public transit; airports; and ports and waterways. Their experience includes more than 10,000 miles of roadways, 4,500 bridges, over 450 rail and transit projects, and more than 50 advanced traffic management system deployments that help cities and states improve safety and travel efficiency while also reducing emissions and energy costs to enhance the quality of life in the communities they serve.

SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority