The organization tasked with extending Metro's L (Gold) Line into San Bernardino County is considering changes to the park-and-ride facilities planned at future stations.

According to notice issued in May, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority could build surface parking lots in lieu of enclosed parking structures serving new stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona.  This would reduce the overall number of parking spaces planned for the light rail extension, but may also require expanding the size of several stations or relocating the park-and-ride facility to accommodate vehicle roundabouts and new pedestrian access points.

For Claremont Station, the final stop before the County line, the Construction Authority is considering two options: a new garage or a combination of surface parking and leased spaces in a nearby structure.  Both alternatives would result in less parking than originally proposed.

The provision of surface parking in lieu of a multi-story garage will likely generate cost savings for the L Line extension.  Studies have indicated that the cost of a single above-ground parking space in Los Angeles is roughly $27,000, which compares to roughly $5,000 to $10,000 for stalls in surface lots.

The swelling price tag of the L Line has already caused the Construction Authority to reconsider its plans.  Prior to a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony in late 2017, the 12.3-mile extension from Azusa to Claremont was budgeted at $1.4 billion.  Two years later, that figure had grown to $2.1 billion.

As a result, a phased approach was adopted by the Construction Authority in 2019, calling for an extension to be built to Pomona by 2025, with service to Montclair and Claremont delayed until a future date.  Current work on the project is limited to pre-construction activities.

While it remains unclear when the L Line will complete its planned extension to Claremont, other officials are already looking farther east.  State Assemblymember Chris Holden, formerly a member of the Pasadena City Council, has pushed the light rail line to extend as far as Ontario International Airport.