CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
September 8, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Meg McWade, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION REGARDING CLASS 4 BIKE PATH ALTERNATIVES ALONG ARROW HIGHWAY AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT ALTERNATIVES ALONG NORTH GAREY AVENUE RELATED TO LIGHT RAIL “A” (GOLD) LINE AND FIRST LAST MILE IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council discuss and provide direction related to the following alternatives:
Arrow Highway Two Direction Class 4 Separated Bike Lane Improvements (south side of street) Alternative 1 – Southside Bulb-outs around utility poles/impediments from Lordsburg Court to Fair Avenue and full Class 4 bike lane in current parking lane from White Avenue east to Lordsburg Court and from Fair Avenue to eastern City limits.
Preserve all parking between Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue; Approve bulb-outs design concept (with easements, as necessary) along the south side of Arrow Highway with locations still to be determined; or Alternative 2 – Northside Bulb-outs into street around utility pole/impediments from Lordsburg Court to Fair Avenue and full Class 4 bike lane in current parking lane from White Avenue to Lordsburg Court and from Fair Avenue to eastern City limits.
Preserve most, but not all parking, between Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue; Approve bulb-outs design concept around utility poles (no easements required) along the south side of Arrow Highway; or Alternative 3 – Full Class 4 bike lane in parking lane from White Avenue to eastern City limit Approve loss of all existing parking on the south side of Arrow Highway Authorize use of parking lane along Southside of Arrow Highway. There is no bulb-out or easement design concept to approve for this alternative.
Garey Avenue – Pedestrian Improvements from Arrow Highway to Bonita Avenue Alternative 1 – Walkability Improvements: 6’ clear path around utility poles / impediments in the existing sidewalks Approve wider sidewalk design concept along Garey Avenue, with easements as needed; or Alternative 2 – No change to sidewalk width
Sidewalk width remains the same on Garey Avenue, from Arrow Highway to Bonita Avenue, resulting in narrower sidewalks.
Consider the need for full-width repaving of Arrow Highway EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As part of the East San Gabriel Valley Sustainable Multimodal Improvements Project (ESGVSMIP) providing grant funds for first/last mile (FLM) and active transportation improvements, City Council is being asked to select from the options above to determine whether easements, bulb-outs, or no easements or bulb-outs should be incorporated within the design of a two-direction Class 4 bicycle path along the south side of Arrow Highway, from Mountain Avenue to White Avenue, and for walkability improvements along Garey Avenue, between Arrow Highway and Bonita Avenue. These FLM improvements will help the City meet its prior agreements/commitments with both the Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority and the San Gabrial Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) as well as the City’s 3 Percent match for the Gold Line Project.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost to complete the subject First Last Mile improvements is estimated at $14,000,000. Between grant funding that has already been obtained by either the City of Pomona (City) or through the SGVCOG, nearly all the funding has been secured.
The City previously allocated $595,000 (consisting of $53,000 for Project Approval & Environmental Documents Phase (PAED), $497,000 for Planning Specifications & Estimating (PS&E) and $45,000 for Construction (CON)) and will contribute up to $1,600,000 of funding allocated in “Transit Improvement Program – Gold Line” Project No.428-2590-XXXXX-68559 funds for design and partial construction improvements in the City along Arrow Highway and Garey Avenue. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) secured an additional $9,300,000 of various grant funds to help close the funding gap.
There is currently a $1.9 million dollar shortfall. However, SGVCOG has been actively seeking and applying for grants in collaboration with City staff to help meet those deadlines. Fortunately, we anticipate that the funding that was applied for will be awarded to SGVCOG for this City project to cover the shortfall. This will allow the project to move to the construction phase soon.
The cost for these First Last Mile (FLM) improvements, currently estimated at $14 million, is also expected to be utilized as partial credit, as allowable, towards the City’s required 3 percent match for the Gold Line Project.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On April 20, 2015, Council approved a Cooperative Agreement (MCA) for the Metro Gold Line – Phase II (Phase 2B) between the Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority and the City of Pomona as well as a required City match for the project.
On November 6, 2023, Council approved a Memorandum of Agreement between the City and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) to allocate $595,000 of funds received from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“LACMTA/METRO”) through the Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program (“MSP”), as well as, up to $1,600,000 of the City’s General Purpose (Prop A Exchange) Funds for “Transit Improvement Program, Gold Line,” Project No. 428-2590-XXXXX-68559.
DISCUSSION:
The East San Gabriel Valley Sustainable Multimodal Improvements Project (ESGVSMIP) is the result of a partnership between the Cities of Pomona, Claremont, Azusa, Covina, La Verne and San Dimas, under leadership of the SGVCOG. The ESGVSMIP was initially suggested by the City of Glendora because of the completion of the Arrow Highway Multimodal Corridor Plan. After successfully securing a recommendation from the SGVCOG to receive $15 million (of which Pomona’s share was $595,000) in Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program (MSP) award funds, the cities selected the SGVCOG to serve as the Project’s lead agency to coordinate and manage design and construction activities.
The proposed regional improvements provide connectivity to transit stations, employment centers, schools, and major entertainment and recreational centers. These improvements were identified through a series of robust community outreach efforts led by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority (METRO) and members of East San Gabriel Valley. These efforts resulted in Metro’s Gold Line Foothill Extension 2B First/Last Mile Plan, dated June 20, 2019. Specific improvements include protected bike lanes, ADA-compliant access ramps, sidewalk improvements and repairs, bike infrastructure, bus shelter renovation, pedestrian crossing enhancements, pedestrian bridges, and improved lighting and landscaping.
The City has previously entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the SGVCOG and a Master Collaborative Agreement (MCA) with the Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority to cooperate with the construction of the necessary First Last Mile improvements. The City is working with the SGVCOG to include, as part of the project, rehabilitation of Arrow Highway paving from East City Limit to West City Limit as part of the project. This repaving is still in a state of partial funding, but since improvements to Arrow Highway are necessary to facilitate additional travel to Pomona North Transit Station, the City is hopeful these improvements can be fully incorporated.
Based on the Gold Line MCA, the City of Pomona is expected to provide a 3 percent match towards the Gold Line Project. It is expected that the cost of the proposed FLM improvements along Arrow Highway, Garey Avenue, and Bonita Avenue will help the City meet the required 3 percent match.
The subject First Last Mile (FLM) improvements of this Council report include a two-direction Class 4 protected bicycle lane along the south side of Arrow Highway, from Mountain Avenue (eastern City limits) to White Avenue (City of La Verne), and pedestrian improvements with enhanced street lighting along Garey Avenue from Arrow Highway to Harrison Avenue. The project also includes enhanced street lighting along Bonita Avenue from Garey Avenue to Fulton Road, but that portion does not involve selection of alternatives, so it is not included in this report.
Community Outreach
In late July, the City held a Community Meeting on the project at Palomares Park. The project was presented to the Community (Attachment 1) with breakout sessions offered to provide for more personal interaction on the project. There was general support for FLM improvements with concerns from some community members about the potential loss of parking. In addition to the feedback at the meeting, a survey (Attachment 2) was made available to the general public. There have been varied responses received to date.
Project Alternatives
The City Council is being asked to provide input on alternatives for Arrow Highway and for Garey Avenue due to the potential need for easements, as well as input on full-width paving for Arrow Highway.
Arrow Highway – Southside Class IV Bike Lane Improvements In advance of the Arrow Highway design alternatives being developed, a parking study was carried out on Arrow Highway which showed high usage in certain areas which guided the proposed location of the bike lanes. Along Arrow Highway, it was determined that the two-way bike lane should be constructed along the south side of the street to avoid affecting existing well-used street parking along the north side of the street, where most of the businesses along Arrow Highway in Pomona are located. There is little parking used along the south side of the street, except between Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue, where parking is well used. This segment includes nine (9) properties that front Arrow Highway. One of the nine properties has a driveway on Arrow Highway, and one has a driveway on Fair Avenue. The remaining seven properties have garages on the alley and no driveways fronting Arrow Highway. Based on the parking study results and Class 4 bike lane requirements, the following alternatives were developed:
Alternative 1 – Southside Bulb-outs around utility poles/impediments between Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue and full Class 4 bike lane in current parking lane from White Avenue east to Lordsburg Court and from Fair Avenue to eastern City limit Preserves all parking, from east of Lordsburg Court to Fair Avenue; Utilizes bulb-out design concept around utility poles, requiring some easements, along the south side of Arrow Highway with locations still to be determined; or Alternative 2 – Northside Bulb-outs into street around utility pole/impediments from east of Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue and full Class 4 bike lane in current parking lane from White Avenue to Lordsburg Court and from Fair Avenue to eastern City limits.
Preserves some, but not all, parking between Lordsburg Court and Fair Avenue; Utilizes bulb-out design concept around utility poles, requiring no easements, along the south side of Arrow Highway with locations still to be determined; or Alternative 3 – Full Class 4 bike lane in parking lane from City limit to City limit Loss of all existing parking on the south side of Arrow Highway; No bulb-out design concept (or easements) to approve.
It should be noted that currently the entire project area is Arrow Highway from White Avenue to eastern City limits. The first segment – from White Avenue to Lordsburg Court - is in the City of La Verne and Staff has been working with La Verne on the design to ensure connectivity within their area. While the City of La Verne is supportive of bike and walkability improvements, formal approval of any design concept would most likely require City Council consideration. Should La Verne decide not to support the White Avenue to Lordsburg Court segment, the City of Pomona would work the SGVCOG to revise the design to remain within the City limits.
Arrow Highway - Paving
The FLM project typically would provide funding for paving the bike lane but not additional areas. Arrow Highway is a well-traveled street with pedestrian and bike connectivity along the entire stretch from neighborhoods, businesses, and transit connections. Based on the use of Arrow Highway as a travel path for connectivity to get to the bike lane and FLM improvements, Staff recommends paving of full width of Arrow Highway as an important component of this project and is seeking Council support.
Garey Avenue – Pedestrian Improvements
Along Garey Avenue from Arrow Highway to White Avenue, Council is being asked to determine whether small easements design concept should be approved as needed to facilitate walkability to the Pomona North Station. Easements would allow for a 6’ wide path for pedestrians without impediments such as poles, signal cabinets, hydrants, and other obstructions on this stretch of sidewalk. It is anticipated that when the Gold Line (A Line) opens, there will be more pedestrian traffic in this area, and wider sidewalks would enhance the pedestrian experience.
Prepared by:
Shandy Dittman, Public Works Fiscal and Project Manager ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment No. 1 – July 17, 2025 Community Meeting Presentation for Arrow Highway, North Garey Avenue, and Bonita Avenue SMIP and FLM Project Attachment No. 2 – Survey
Attachment No. 3- Depiction of Alternatives Powerpoint
Discussion Regarding Class 4 Bike Path Along Arrow Highway and Improvements Along North Garey Avenue Related to Gold Line and First Last Mile