Chapter 2: Proposed Bus Modifications - Metro Gold Line Foothill ...

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CHAPTER 2 | PROPOSED BUS ROUTE MODIFICATIONS
INTERIM RESTRUCTURING OF BUS ROUTES: AZUSA TO MONTCLAIR
Completion of the Gold Line Extension from Pasadena to Azusa will warrant consideration of interim service changes to
routes that primarily serve communities east of Azusa that later will be served directly by light rail service in the Azusa
to Montclair Extension. This section provides a limited plan that diverts and truncates selected bus routes at the Azusa-
Citrus Station, and proposes others for discontinuation.
Results from the random telephone survey of San Gabriel residents conducted for this study indicate that Azusa-Citrus
Station will become an attractive access point for central and eastern San Gabriel Valley residents who indicated likely use
of the Gold Line upon completion of the Pasadena to Azusa Extension. Similarly, the onboard survey of current bus riders
indicate that the Azusa-Citrus Station will be the most likely point of access preferred by 23 percent of those who expect
to use the Gold Line when this extension opens, followed by Monrovia (15 percent), Duarte (14 percent), Azusa-Alameda
(11 percent), Arcadia (8 percent) and Irwindale (7 percent).
Changes to four existing bus routes as shown in Figure 2-20 are proposed:
Glendora Mini Bus Metrolink Shuttle
This commuter shuttle service operated by the City of Glendora runs between the Glendora Transportation Center on
Foothill Boulevard at Dalton Avenue and the Covina Metrolink Station, primarily via Barranca Avenue. Southbound
service to Metrolink comprises six trips departing between at 5:18 a.m. and 7:14 a.m. on weekdays only. Return service
comprises six northbound trips departing between 4:00 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. Neither passenger boarding and alighting
information nor specifi c survey results relative to this route were available for analysis. Generally the route should be
integrated into the larger bus interface plan that would feed Glendora passengers primarily to the Gold Line throughout
the service day and provide north-south connecting service to the Metrolink San Bernardino Line.
Foothill Transit Route 284
This local bus route carries 410 passengers per weekday between West Covina and Glendora via Covina and San Dimas.
It approaches the planned Gold Line Glendora Station site from the east via Foothill Boulevard and south on Glendora
Avenue to an on-street terminal point at Ada Avenue.
The results of the bus rider survey conducted for this study reported that 42 percent of existing Route 284 riders are likely
to use the Gold Line Extension and that the Azusa-Citrus Station is preferred as the point of access by 36 percent of those
who expect to use the Gold Line, followed by Azusa-Alameda (26 percent) and Irwindale (14 percent). Detailed passenger
boarding and alighting information was not available for analysis, making defi nitive recommendations more diffi cult.
However, extension of Route 284 two miles west via Foothill Boulevard to the Azusa-Citrus Station should be considered.
The bus connection presumably would be maintained until Gold Line service is extended to Glendora Station.
One possible routing would be to extend the route from the existing terminus at Glendora Avenue and Alosta Avenue by
routing busses west on Alosta, north on Grand Avenue and west on Foothill Boulevard to the Azusa-Citrus Station. This
would minimize duplication with Route 187 on Alosta Avenue and maintain coverage on most of the segment of Foothill
Boulevard to be vacated by the proposed discontinuation of Route 494.
Foothill Route 690
This express route operates peak direction-only weekday service between the Montclair Transit Center and downtown
Pasadena on an alignment comprised primarily of Foothill Boulevard and Baseline Road east of Azusa, and the I-210
Freeway west of Azusa Avenue to downtown Pasadena. It overlays local Route 187 east of Glendora. It carries an average
of 274 weekday boardings on nine westbound trips in the morning and eight eastbound trips in the afternoon. Average
ridership is 16 passengers per one-way trip.
Detailed passenger boarding and alighting information was not available for analysis, making defi nitive
recommendations more diffi cult. At a minimum, Route 690 should be diverted via Citrus Avenue to the Azusa-Citrus
Station when the Pasadena to Azusa extension opens, to avoid redundancy with the Gold Line. Discontinuation should
be considered as part of future planning.
Foothill Route 851
This commuter-oriented local route operates weekday peak period service between Glendora and the Covina Metrolink
Station on a meandering north-south alignment comprised primarily of Glendora Avenue and Sunfl ower Avenue. It
crosses the Gold Line corridor at Glendora Avenue north of Alosta Avenue. Route 851 carries an average of 165 weekday
boardings on eight morning trips and seven afternoon trips. Average ridership is 11 passengers per one-way trip.
Detailed passenger boarding and alighting information was not available for analysis, making defi nitive
recommendations more diffi cult. Consideration should be given to extending selected trips on Route 851 via Foothill
Boulevard to the Azusa-Citrus Station. Alternatively, local feeder service to Azusa-Citrus Station could replace the existing
segment on Sierra Madre Boulevard and between Grand Avenue and Valley Center Avenue. It is recognized that this
route serves a signifi cant number of school trips on weekdays. No modifi cations to school peak service are proposed.
Systemic restructuring within cities east of Azusa should be considered in context of future service changes contemplated
by Foothill Transit either prior to or concurrently with the opening of the extension to Montclair.
Foothill Extension Bus Interface Plan