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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2008 |
CONTACT: Wendy Williams Marketing Director 909.379.7151 |
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Omnitrans’ New sbX Project Poised for Development A proposal to begin seeking qualified contractors to develop the E Street Corridor sbX Bus Rapid Transit Project connecting San Bernardino to Loma Linda will be considered Wednesday by the Omnitrans’ Board of Directors. The state-of-the-art project calls for developing dedicated bus lanes for use by sleek new alternative-fuel Omnitrans vehicles that will whisk students, seniors, shoppers, commuters and transit-dependent residents between business and government centers, retail malls, medical centers and universities in the two cities. Passing through five identified redevelopment zones, the sbX E Street Corridor project will help drive regional economic, environmental and mobility improvements while providing vital service to transit-dependant residents along the route. The E Street sbX Corridor will stretch approximately 16 miles from northern San Bernardino including Cal State San Bernardino to the civic and business centers in downtown San Bernardino. The route will head south with stations at the Orange Show Fairgrounds and along bustling Hospitality Lane before connecting to Loma Linda University Adventist Health Center and the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Loma Linda. “This high-tech project will provide more convenient transit service to meet the region’s growing travel demands while helping relieve traffic congestion and improving air quality,” said John Roberts, chairman of the Omnitrans Board of Directors and Fontana City Councilman. “This Corridor will be the first in a Valley-wide system of interconnecting sbX lines stretching from the Los Angeles County border to Redlands, offering improved transportation to major activity centers.” The E Street Corridor sbX Bus Rapid Transit will cost $164 million to develop, with the bulk of those costs coming from the acquisition of real estate for 10 miles of exclusive lanes, station and transit way design and construction, and the purchase of vehicles. sbX travel times will rival those of passenger vehicles during peak commute hours (40.2 minutes on sbX vs. 39.5 minutes by car, end to end). Riders on the new sbX will save as much as 29 minutes over existing transit service when traveling between North San Bernardino (Palm and Kendall) and the VA Hospital in Loma Linda. The E Street Corridor sbX will also provide a vital transit option for many low-income residents in the area. U.S. census data shows 27 percent of the residents along the Corridor live below the poverty line and that nearly 17 percent of the households lack an automobile. After a thorough review, the Federal Transit Administration authorized Omnitrans last month to incur costs for continued preliminary engineering designs on the sbX project. Once the FTA completes its environmental determination, Omnitrans will be able to move forward with final design, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation. “I am thrilled that the FTA believes in our sbX project as much as I do! sbX is a revolutionary mode of mass transit that will not only change the way we get from place to place but it will also change the way we use land for development,” said San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris, also a member of Omnitrans Board. “Mass transit and greener living are principles that our city has embraced and the approval of this project is a huge step towards implementing them.” The cities of San Bernardino and Loma Linda worked as active partners with Omnitrans on the E Street Corridor sbX. The project is backed by the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG). Area residents and businesses voiced their support during a series of workshops in 2005. “We look forward to working with Omnitrans in bringing to fruition a state of the art Bus Rapid Transit project,” said Mike Bair, SANBAG Director of Transit and Rail Programs. “We are committed to doing our part in achieving better air quality and less congestion by providing convenient and technologically advanced travel options for our residents.” In San Bernardino, Omnitrans continues to work closely with the Economic Development Agency, and the City already envisions a Transit-Oriented Development of new commercial, government and residential uses south of the downtown along the Corridor. Along with traffic relief, sbX will also help reduce parking demand at the rapidly expanding Cal State San Bernardino and the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, both of which expect to double in size in the next 15 years. “We’re very excited about the sbX project and believe it will enable students and the community to access the university in a swift and environmentally thoughtful manner,” said Albert Karnig, President, Cal State San Bernardino. “We hope more people will ride the rapid bus system to and from CSUSB, which will help alleviate traffic congestion both on surface streets and on campus.” By using cutting-edge coaches powered by alternative fuel technology, the E Street Corridor sbX will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help relieve worsening regional traffic congestion. Public transportation promotes cleaner air by producing 95 percent less carbon monoxide and nearly 50 percent less carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide per passenger mile than private vehicles, according to the American Public Transportation Association. Founded in 1976, Omnitrans is the public transit agency providing 50,000 passenger trips each weekday across the San Bernardino Valley. Omnitrans is governed by a 20-member board representing the 15 cities served by Omnitrans and San Bernardino County. ### |
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Founded in 1976, Omnitrans is the public transit agency serving fifteen cities and the unincorporated areas of the Inland Valley of San Bernardino County in Southern California. Omnitrans currently operates 32 fixed bus routes in a |
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