Richmond’s Bus Rapid Transit project has cleared its final funding hurdle.

On April 20, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the state body that oversees transportation spending, approved a $47.3 million contract to a construction team to develop the express bus service to be called GRTC Pulse.

The winner is the design-build team of Lane Construction Co. of Cheshire, Conn., and STV Design of New York, which will revamp medians and install the 14 stations to make way for the speedier buses that will operate on a 7.6-mile route largely along Broad Street between Rocketts Landing to the east and The Shops at Willow Lawn to the west.

Work is expected to begin by July, according to the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Meanwhile, GRTC and the City of Richmond are working on a plan to improve transit service overall and to ensure better connections between current routes and the Pulse.

Two community meetings are being held to gather public input as part of the planning.

The first is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at the state Department of Motor Vehicle’s Richmond Central location, 2300 W. Broad St.. The second will be noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, at the Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch auditorium, 101 E. Franklin St.