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With the arrival of spring, excitement and anticipation are in the air as construction activities have picked up on the Omnitrans / San Bernardino County Transit Authority (SBCTA) West Valley Connector Project that will provide Bus Rapid Transit Service between Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, and Brightline West continues with field investigation work on various spots along the I-15 for their high-speed passenger rail service between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas.
In this edition of Cucamonga Station Connections, our news updates reinforce the region’s role as an economic driver and global connection point and highlights new funding and efforts underway to improve transit connectivity in the region. Celebrate Earth Day this month by taking one of many commuting options offered in the Inland Empire that reduce emissions and reduce vehicle miles while saving money.
If your organization is interested in learning more or would like a presentation about the Cucamonga Station vision, milestones, partnerships, and business opportunities tied to transportation development, please email CucamongaStation@CityofRC.us.
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$1M Secured for Zero-Emission Transit Connectivity to Cucamonga Station | |
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In March, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) announced that $1 million was secured for the Rancho Cucamonga Local Circulator and Last Mile Transportation Project – one of several transportation projects in the 35th Congressional District to receive fiscal year 2024 funding to improve connectivity and accessibility in the region.
The funding will be used to develop and test a zero-emission multi-passenger shuttle service and e-bike program that connects Cucamonga Station with other regional transit connectors and key retail, dining, and residential locations in the southeast quadrant of Rancho Cucamonga. This area falls within the city’s HART District – a transit oriented, mixed-use district that will elevate the area into a walkable, culture-rich experience embracing economic opportunity.
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Construction Ramps Up on West Valley Connector Project | |
Crews shifting lanes on Holt Boulevard between Grove and Corona Avenues to work on 3.5 miles of center-running lanes. | | |
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If you drive on Holt Boulevard through the City of Ontario, you will see construction has ramped up on the West Valley Connector Project that will connect major shopping, dining, entertainment, and transit hubs including Cucamonga Station. The environmentally friendly 19-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line will operate between Pomona and Rancho Cucamonga.
Current construction activities on Holt Boulevard shifts traffic to the south side of the street between Grove and Corona Avenues so crews can work safely to build 3.5 miles of center-running lanes for the BRT line. This work will take about 10 months to complete and occur weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Two lanes in each direction will remain open to traffic during this time. For the latest project information and live closures and detours, visit www.gosbcta.com/westvalleyconnector.
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ONT Volumes Continue to Trend Upward, New Nonstop Services Coming in May | |
2024 is off to a hot start with passenger volumes increasing at ONT. | |
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Ontario International Airport (ONT) recently reported an increase in air travelers year-over-year for 36 consecutive months. This was achieved in February when more than 413,400 domestic passengers and 36,400 international fliers came through ONT. Over the first two months of the year, ONT’s passenger count increased by 9.2% to more than 919,000, with the number of domestic travelers up 5.2% and international passengers nearly 80% higher.
In late February, ONT announced that Frontier Airlines will add nonstop service in May to El Paso, Houston, and Seattle. This brings the total of nonstop destinations to 26 offered on 12 airlines at ONT.
The increase in demand and new nonstop destinations reaffirms the vital role ONT plays in California’s fastest-growing population and economic center. At 4.7 million people, the Inland Empire is now the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S, surpassing San Francisco, and is expected to grow by another million residents in the next quarter-century. It also is the top job-producing region in California. For the latest on ONT, visit www.flyontario.com.
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Frontier Airlines begins nonstop service to El Paso, Houston, and Seattle in May. | |
Increase in International Travelers Points to Greater Ontario’s Role as a Global Destination | |
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The record number of international travelers coming through Ontario International Airport (ONT) is great news for the tourism industry in our region and affirms the Inland Empire’s growing stature as a global destination attracting business, investment, and visitors from all over the world.
From natural amenities to a world-class Convention Center and entertainment venues, to great restaurants and hotels, to a hospitality workforce able to meet the needs of visitors – all contribute to making Greater Ontario California (GOCAL) a global destination.
Today, GOCAL’s Tourism Marketing District, which includes the cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, features 68 hotels and 6,749 hotel rooms, and generates nearly $100 million a year in economic impact, making it the hub of a growing Inland Empire hospitality scene that employs more than 180,000 workers and generates $1.2 billion a year in local and state tax revenues.
The convenience of arriving and departing at ONT with ease and service to major airports throughout the U.S. and internationally, makes the region an even more desirable destination. To learn more about GOCAL, visit www.GOCVB.org.
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Celebrate Earth Day in April by Exploring Commuting Options for a Chance to Win a Prize | |
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With Earth Day 2024 taking place on April 22, IE Commuter, a program of the Riverside County Transportation Commission and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, has created a great promotion that will reward you for ridesharing while helping reduce your carbon footprint. Prizes include an Apple Watch Series 9, gift cards, travel accessories, tickets for whale watching and much more.
To learn more about the Earth Day 2024 promotion and the many commuting options available to you in the Inland Empire that include riding Omnitrans’ zero-emission buses and Metrolink trains, click here. And with spring upon us and natural beauty all throughout the region, there’s no better time to get on your bike or walk a trail near you such as the Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail that runs 21 miles east-west between Rialto and Claremont.
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San Bernardino County: In March, San Bernardino County’s future of transportation and logistics was featured in Site Selection magazine, which is a prominent publication that executives and industry experts use to make informed decisions on where to locate their businesses. The article highlights how San Bernardino County is right in the middle of a $1.8 trillion economy and has a competitive advantage of being centrally located with transportation innovation from San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) leading the way for a safer, cleaner, and more efficient connectivity system for passengers and commerce alike. | |
Brightline West: In early April, Brightline West was featured in a USA Today profile piece that puts a national spotlight on Rancho Cucamonga being the starting point of the L.A. to Las Vegas line for the first true high-speed passenger rail service in the U.S. The profile highlights top speeds hitting 186 miles per hour, recent federal funding and private bonds attained for the project, and preparations underway targeting a timeframe of this spring to start construction. | | | | |
