The future of transportation on display as Aguilar, House Subcommittee Chair tour ESRI Train Station, briefed on Arrow Line

The Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development joined U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) last Tuesday, Sept. 14, in previewing the next generation of commuter transit.

Chairman David Price (NC-04) and Aguilar were in Redlands visiting the global headquarters of ESRI and, later, the train station ESRI is building as part of the upcoming Redlands Passenger Rail System – a nine-mile extension of Metrolink’s San Bernardino Line that will pioneer sustainable transit technology while creating a vital new connection for Southern California’s fastest-growing population center.

ESRI, the global leader in geographic information systems (GIS) technology, is building one of the five stations that will be part of the new system when it opens in 2022.

“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,” Chairman Price said.

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 the development of the new rail system and the state-of-the-art Arrow Line trains that will run on it. Arrow Line initially will feature low-emission diesel multiple units (DMUs), followed by North America’s first zero-emission hydrogen-powered trains.

The new rail system 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 on the Redlands Passenger Rail System and the Arrow Line, please visit: https://www.gosbcta.com/project/redlands-passenger-rail-project-arrow/