New Santa Ana | Category Archives: OCTA

The OCTA is seeking your input via an online survey about transportation

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 14, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713/Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

OCTA Seeks Input Planning For Transportation Future

Public can participate in online survey to express opinions on county’s mobility needs

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is seeking public input to help plan for the county’s transportation needs for the next 20 years and beyond.

Community members are encouraged to participate in an online survey at www.octa.net/lrtp through Dec. 15. Continue reading→

The OCTA honors Veterans in annual event

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange, Orange County, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

Orange County Transportation Authority CEO Darrell Johnson greets a Marine Corps Color Guard at OCTA’s annual Veterans Day Appreciation Event on Nov. 12 at OCTA headquarters in Orange

OCTA CEO Darrell Johnson greets a Marine Corps Color Guard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 13, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713/Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

OCTA Honors Veterans In Annual Event

Former military make up approximately 10 percent of OCTA’s workforce

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority this week recognized the service of employees who are military veterans during OCTA’s fourth annual Veterans Day Appreciation event.

OCTA employs 120 veterans from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, representing nearly 10 percent of the workforce. OCTA has been recognized by military organizations as a military-friendly employer for its efforts to actively recruit veterans. Continue reading→

OCTA offers discount bus passes for the Holidays

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation, Youth Activities Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 11, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713/Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

OCTA Kicks Off Holiday Season With Jingle Pass Sales Event

Residents can save 15 percent off 30-day bus passes for a limited time

ORANGE –The Orange County Transportation Authority is kicking off the holidays with a Jingle Pass sales promotion from Nov. 15 through Nov. 30.

The Jingle Pass is part of OCTA’s ridership program and enables riders to get where they need to go with less money out of their pockets. Continue reading→

OCTA has drivers seeing more green through Signal Synchronization Program

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 1, 2013

OCTA Has Drivers Seeing More Green Through Signal Synchronization Program

Goal of improving 2,000 intersections with renewed Measure M funds more than halfway complete

ORANGE – Motorists throughout Orange County are moving along city streets more efficiently and saving gas thanks to the Orange County Transportation Authority’s signal synchronization effort.

An update to the OCTA’s board this week showed that more than 1,074 intersections, along 269 miles of streets, have been synchronized in the last five years. That’s more than halfway toward the original 30-year Measure M goal to synchronize 2,000 intersections along 750 miles of roadway. Continue reading→

Former OCTA bus driver to be charged with felony possession of child porn

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, OCTA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13WF3001: October 29, 2013

FORMER OCTA BUS DRIVER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND STORING IT ON HOME COMPUTER AND WORK LOCKER

WESMINSTER – A former Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus driver is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for possessing hundreds of graphic images and videos of child pornography. Richard Raoul Contreras, 63, Garden Grove, is charged with one felony count of possession and control of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. The defendant is out of custody on $20,000 bail. Contreras is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading→

OCTA bus driver faces felony charge for possessing child pornography

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, OCTA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13WF3001: October 29, 2013

OCTA BUS DRIVER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND STORING IT ON HOME COMPUTER AND WORK LOCKER

WESMINSTER – An Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus driver is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for possessing hundreds of graphic images and videos of child pornography. Richard Raoul Contreras, 63, Garden Grove, is charged with one felony count of possession and control of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. The defendant is out of custody on $20,000 bail. Contreras is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading→

Town hall forum regarding proposal to add toll lanes to the 405 set for 10/29

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, OCTA, Orange County, Transportation, Westminster Leave a comment

405 Freeway Cities Coalition

FOR MORE INFORMATION: George Urch (714) 464-9125 (Cell)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28, 2013

405 FREEWAY CITIES COALITION IN ORANGE COUNTY TO HOLD TOWN HALL FORUM THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, ON OCTA PROPOSAL TO ADD TOLL LANES ON I-405 FREEWAY

Forum Will Offer Opportunity For General Public To Voice Opinion On OCTA’s Proposal To Add Toll Lanes Along I-405 Freeway Between SR-55 And I-605 Freeways In Orange County

WHO: * Panel Made Up Of City Council Members From Each Of The 6 Member Cities Of The 405 Freeway Cities Coalition (Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Westminster)

* Remarks From A Wide Variety Of Electeds & Members Of Public Including: Continue reading→

Take Metrolink to the next USC Football game on Oct. 10

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Football, OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Metrolink USC Football Express

Special train service takes fans to and from big home game

Cheer on the Trojans at a Thursday night home game starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Coliseum with help from Metrolink! OCTA will provide a special Metrolink train called the USC Football Express to take Orange County fans to and from the big game against the Arizona Wildcats on October 10. Just board a convenient Metrolink train near your home and take it to LA Union Station. From there, transfer to LA Metro Rail and you’ll be at the Coliseum quickly and easily with a few simple transfers. Transfers to LA Metro Rail are free. After the game, take the LA Metro Rail back to Union Station where you can catch Metrolink’s USC Football Express back to OC.

USC Trojans are 3-1, 5th in South Division. Be there…you can make a difference! Continue reading→

I-405 improvement project update

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

I-405 Improvement Project Update

By Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates

Project development and environmental documentation are underway for improvements to the Interstate 405, between State Route 55 and Interstate 605. On October 22, 2012, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors considered three different build alternatives and selected Alternative 1, which adds one general purpose lane in each direction, as the Locally Preferred Alternative.

Alternative 2 would add two general purpose lanes in each direction but would have a $100 million funding shortfall; and Alternative 3 would add one general purpose lane in each direction, as well as a toll lane in each direction, which would be added to the existing HOV lane to create a two-lane High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane facility (similar to the 91 Express Lanes). The approximate $700 million shortfall for Alterative 3 would be funded through toll revenue bonds. Continue reading→

The OCTA gives teens a chance to weigh in on transportation policy on 10/1

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, OCTA, Orange County, Transportation, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Opportunity for Teens to Weigh In on Transportation Policy

By Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is hosting a discussion about transportation and student travel from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday, October 1 in Conference Room 103/104 at OCTA Headquarters, 600 S. Main Street, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Try other travel options during Rideshare Week and you could win a prize

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

OCTA Urges Solo Drivers To Try Other Travel Options During Rideshare Week

By the OCTA Blog

Commuters will have a chance to learn about the benefits of using alternate modes of transportation during national Rideshare Week, which runs from Oct. 7 through Oct. 11, 2013.

Rideshare Week is an annual event that focuses on environmentally friendly transportation options, which include buses, trains, carpools, vanpools, bikes and more.

OCTA’s 2013 Rideshare Week campaign — 101 Reasons to Rideshare — reminds commuters of the benefits associated with alternative transportation. Benefits include cost and time savings, networking possibilities and the ability to relax instead of dealing with traffic. Continue reading→

I-405 reopens following successful Bridge Bash

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Transportation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 18, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ted Nguyen (714) 560-5334 or (949) 637-6836

I-405 Reopens Following Successful Bridge Bash

The closure was necessary to demolish the southbound I-405 to eastbound SR-22 connector as part of the West County Connectors Project

ORANGE – The southbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) reopened to traffic at 2:20 p.m. today after being closed between the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Valley View Street in Westminster. The northbound I-405 will reopen to traffic at 3 p.m. Continue reading→

Portion of I-405 to shut down for planned Bridge Bash from August 17-18

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 6, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713 or (949) 547-9672 , Ted Nguyen (714) 560-5334 or (949) 637-6836

I-405 Full Shutdown Planned For ‘Bridge Bash’

Freeway will close for 20 hours Aug.17-18 between I-605 and Valley View Street in Orange County

ORANGE – The San Diego Freeway (I-405) is scheduled to be fully closed in both directions from 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 through 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, between the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Valley View Street in Westminster.

The 20-hour full freeway closure is necessary so crews can demolish the bridge linking the southbound I-405 to eastbound Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) as part of the West County Connectors project. Construction of a new connector bridge was completed late last month and is now being used by drivers. Continue reading→

Updated OC Bikeways Guide now available online from the OCTA

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Updated OC Bikeways Guide Now Available

The OCTA has released the 2013 edition of the OC Bikeways Guide to help cyclists navigate every inch of Orange County’s 1,000 miles of bikeways.

The comprehensive guide includes: Continue reading→

Weekend shutdown set for I-405/SR-22 connector

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in OCTA, Orange County Leave a comment

Weekend Shutdown Set for I-405/SR-22 Connector

Detours in place for July 26-29 for those traveling southbound on I-405 and connecting to eastbound SR-22

ORANGE – The connector from the southbound San Diego Freeway (I-405) to the eastbound Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) will be closed beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, July 26 continuing through 5 a.m. Monday, July 29. Continue reading→