The Redlands Passenger Rail Project/Arrow received high praise this week.
“The Redlands Passenger Rail represents an energy-efficient and affordable way to help connect communities. I was impressed by the level of partnership on display in the Inland Empire and look forward to continuing to advocate for these types of key investments in transportation infrastructure throughout the country,” said David Price, North Carolina Congressman and Chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
Price joined U.S. Representative Pete Aguilar (CA-31) yesterday in previewing the project and the train station ESRI is building to support the Arrow, which will pioneer sustainable transit technology while creating a vital new connection for Southern California’s fastest-growing population center.
During their tour, Price and Aguilar heard presentations from ESRI President Jack Dangermond and Dr. Ray Wolfe, Executive Director of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). SBCTA is overseeing development of the new rail project and the state-of-the-art Arrow trains that will run on it. Arrow initially will feature low-emission diesel multiple units (DMUs), followed by North America’s first zero-emission hydrogen-powered trains (ZEMU).
The new rail project is one of several major transit innovations SBCTA is leading across the county, including the West Valley Connector zero-emission bus rapid transit system, the ONT Loop tunnel project, and a proposed higher-speed rail system between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas.
“Today’s visit with Chairman Price was all about displaying the need for continued federal investment into our community’s transportation infrastructure. Expanding public transit access in our region will help us reduce congestion on our roads, reduce pollution from smog, and connect our small businesses with new customers. I’ve been proud to advocate for federal investments into projects like the Redlands Passenger Rail, and it’s great to see this level of cooperation between public and private partners like SBCTA and ESRI,” said Rep. Aguilar.
Curt Hagman, President of the SBCTA Board and Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, said the county’s future is directly connected to the connecting of people and places.
“We’re a county of 2.2 million people, with projected growth of 25% over the next 25 years. With a great business climate and a quality of life that’s unmatched in Southern California, San Bernardino County is on the threshold of historic opportunity – and a safe, efficient, sustainable transportation system is at the center of it all,” Hagman said.
For more information about the Redlands Passenger Rail project/Arrow, visit: goSBCTA.com/Arrow.
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