Omnitrans in San Bernardino, CA, launched construction Sept. 29 on the region’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, the E Street Corridor sbX line, with approximately 200 people in attendance. The $192 million project is one of only 10 Small Starts projects in the nation to receive Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding in Fiscal Year 2011.

“These transit projects—at the end of the day and at their essence—are really not about asphalt, concrete, steel, and buses and trains,” said Leslie Rogers, Region IX administrator for FTA, at the event. “At their essence, they are really about people moving people, providing people additional transportation options.”

“There is a lot of hope in the sbX project to provide a high-quality and efficient transit option in the region while contributing to the revitalization efforts currently underway in San Bernardino,” said Milo Victoria, chief executive officer and general manager, Omnitrans. “sbX will reduce commute times, allowing people to spend less time on the road and more time at home with family and friends or engaging in activities they desire. It will improve the quality of life of the people Omnitrans serves.”

Building the line is expected to provide more than 200 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect jobs in San Bernardino County, which, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported 14.1 percent unemployment in August 2011. The agency explained that FTA selected this line for funding because of the clear need for public transit infrastructure in the region and the possibility of creating economic opportunities.

Upon completion, the E Street Corridor sbX will cover 15.7 miles, from north San Bernardino to Loma Linda, with 16 stations at key university, government, business, entertainment, and medical center locations, and four park-and-rides. It will operate with a new, specialized 60-foot articulated bus.

Omnitrans designed sbX as an environmentally friendly, technologically advanced, cost-effective, and time-efficient mode of public transportation that also will address greenhouse gas emissions as required by California state law. It is the first of several transit projects that will bring together BRT, rail, and traditional bus service in downtown San Bernardino

In addition, each station’s design will complement its neighborhood and include appropriate public art. For example, the VA Hospital Station in Loma Linda will feature a Stars and Stripes art monument and tribute to the U.S. armed forces.

FTA Region IX Administrator Leslie Rogers speaks at the ground-breaking program for Omnitrans’ E Street Corridor sbX BRT line.