Metro staff recommends keeping Claremont station
Claremont may keep its Metrolink station after all, according to a recommendation on the agenda for next week’s Metro planning and programing committee meeting.
According to an agenda list posted by the “SOS—Save Our Metrolink Station” Facebook page Wednesday evening, the committee is expected to receive and file a “final report on the Claremont Metrolink station study with staff recommendations to keep the Claremont Metrolink station open and proceed with a staff-level task force to provide recommendations on how Metrolink and Gold Line Phase 2B and other transit services will compliment each other to provide greater transit services to the surrounding communities along the shared rail corridor.”
A call to Metro for confirmation was not immediately returned on Thursday. City Manager Tony Ramos verified the recommendation, and said he received verbal confirmation from Metro CEO Phil Washington Thursday morning.
“We’re very excited about this recommendation from the staff to the planning and programing committee meeting,” Mr. Ramos said.
The full agenda will be posted online Friday morning, Mr. Ramos added.
The committee will still vote on the recommendation and send it to the Metro board of directors for a final decision on January 25.
In the meantime, Mr. Ramos is still urging Claremonters to appear at the meeting on Wednesday, January 17. The city is footing the Metrolink ticket bill for residents who want to appear at the meeting.
In his report to the city council, Mr. Ramos said those interested in attending the meeting should reserve their ticket by calling the city manager’s office at (909) 399-5441.
The Metrolink train will leave at 11:45 a.m. in time for the 2 p.m. meeting, Mr. Ramos said. Residents will have until Monday, January 15 to reserve their ticket.
The recommendation comes weeks after Claremonters overwhelmingly voiced opposition to removing the station during a town hall meeting at the Hughes Center. A motion co-authored by LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis initiated a 60-day study looking at the pros and cons of eliminating the station as part of the Gold Line construction.
“We believe the Metro staff, as well as other key individual elected officials, heard the Claremont community loud and clear,” Mr. Ramos said at Tuesday’s council meeting.
—Matthew Bramlett
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