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Gold Line Extension Service Into Foothill Areas To Begin In March

PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Metro rail service into the San Gabriel Valley's foothill areas will begin in March, officials announced Friday.

The $891 million Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension between Pasadena and Azusa will begin operating March 5, with stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.

Metro CEO Phil Washington said the opening will bring the transit agency to a total of 99 miles of rail operations. And on the same day the Foothill Extension begins running, Metro will also introduce an express bus between North Hollywood and Pasadena, he said.

Washington says he expects the Gold Line extension to exceed ridership projections.

"It's going to be a very popular line," he said.

Although construction on the 12-mile extension is already complete, Metro still needs to conduct rail and safety tests along the route before it can open for business.

Once open, passengers will be able to ride the Gold Line from Union Station to Azusa, a trip that is expected to take about 50 minutes.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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