SAN BERNARDINO >> The significance of the two transportation projects that broke ground Tuesday was reflected in the dignitaries from regional, state and federal agencies who came to celebrate — and by the absence of the color guard that was meant to be there.

They got caught in traffic. The flag itself arrived on time by taking public transportation.

Freeways are growing increasingly congested and difficult, said Mayor Pat Morris, who slipped in frequent jokes and anecdotes as master of ceremonies. And the field where he stood — a century ago a railroad maintenance and repair yard, Tuesday decorated with buses and vehicles form the various mass transit modes that will intersect at the transit center there once construction is complete — showed the path forward.

“(It’s) visual testimony that the economic engine of this city and this region was once the rail industry,” Morris said. “…Our presence here is testimony that our future and our economy’s future is tied to transportation.”

The beginning of construction on two different projects was marked in one ceremony Tuesday: the intermodal transit center and a one-mile extension of the Metrolink line from the Santa Fe Depot to that center.

Together, the projects are intended to allow someone to easily transfer among the different services that will meet there — 13 local Omnitrans buses, the sbX Bus Rapid Transit service, Victor Valley Transit Authority buses, Mountain Area Rapid Transit Authority buses and Metrolink trains — and easily travel without needing a car.

That, in turn, is expected to facilitate transit-oriented development.

The $128 million projects came about through a partnership including the Federal Transit Administration, San Bernardino Associated Governments (SanBAG), Omnitrans, Metrolink and the city of San Bernardino, and representatives of many of those agencies spoke about how they expected the project to help the region and the city.

And in what Morris pointed to as another example of people coming together for progress, all seven City Council members as well as the city attorney attended. Mayor-elect Carey Davis was in Los Angeles for a mediation session as part of the city’s bankruptcy process.

Supervisor James Ramos said the project, as well as the coming extension of Metrolink to the University of Redlands, would be a boon for the region.

“This is truly a historic day,” he said. “It marks the beginning of a new era.”

Other attendees didn’t make their way to the dais but brought attention to some of what is being lost as a result of coming construction.

That includes the building where Allgood Shower Door operated for about the last 40 years and that was built in the 1910s, said Bruce Hefftner, co-owner of the company.

“I don’t want to be negative — I still think it’s a good project,” Hefftner said, who wasn’t sure what the longterm effect will be but did see a decline in business after moving to Waterman Avenue south of Mill. “We’ll survive. It’s partly too bad though.”