Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: OC Streetcar

OC Streetcar construction taking a holiday break

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, Transportation 3 Comments

OC Streetcar construction will be taking a break in downtown Santa Ana on 4th Street between Thanksgiving and January 1, 2020. For more information, please click here.

Also, a reminder that the City of Santa Ana will be providing free parking for the first 2 hours in all City owned parking structures located throughout the Downtown area, effective December 1, 2019.

Parking structures are located as follows:

  • 5th & Spurgeon, 300 E. 5th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
  • 5th & Main, 420 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
  • 3rd & Birch, 310 N. Birch St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
  • 3rd & Broadway, 201 W 3rd Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701

Note: The first 2 hours of free parking only applies to parking structures listed above and does not apply to street meters.

Will 6,000 to 7,300 passengers really ride the OC Streetcar on a daily basis?

Posted on by Posted in Garden Grove, OCTA, Santa Ana, Traffic, Transportation 2 Comments

The OCTA is set to spend about $400 million to build the OC Streetcar, which will take residents from Downtown Santa Ana northwest to Downtown Garden Grove, passing by the soon to be developed Willowick Golf Course, along a course once used by the Pacific Electric Red Cars many years ago.

Here is how the OCTA describes the new streetcar route: Continue reading→

Officials celebrated the OC Streetcar groundbreaking today

Posted on by Posted in Miguel Pulido, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation 4 Comments

OCTA officials join with Federal Transit Administration and California Transportation Agency officials to break ground Friday, Nov. 30 on the $408 million OC Streetcar

OC Streetcar Construction Gets Rolling

Signing of Full-Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration allows work to begin on the modern streetcar project from Santa Ana to Garden Grove

Next stop: The OC Streetcar.

The Orange County Transportation Authority today brought together local, state and federal officials to accept a $149 million federal funding grant and to mark the start of construction on the county’s first modern electric streetcar. Continue reading→

OCTA Transportation Plan and Streetcar Open Houses coming in Sep.

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

OCTA Seeks Input into Transportation Future

Draft Long-Range Transportation Plan serves as Orange County’s mobility blueprint for next 20 years, public participation a critical factor in shaping outcome

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

A draft copy of the Long Range Transportation Plan, called Designing Tomorrow, was recently presented to the OCTA board and is now up for public review and comment on the OCTA website at www.octa.net/lrtp. Continue reading→

The OC Streetcar project is now accepting construction bids to connect DTSA to Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Garden Grove, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation 1 Comment

OC Streetcar Rolls On with Invitation for Construction Bids

Invitation for pre-qualified firms to submit bids to build the OC Streetcar system in Santa Ana and Garden Grove moves project closer to breaking ground next year

ORANGE – Plans for Orange County’s first modern streetcar took another major step forward this month when the Orange County Transportation Authority board of directors approved the release of an invitation for bids to build the OC Streetcar.

The invitation for bids from contractors marks a significant milestone for the project as it begins the process to select a qualified contractor to build the 4.1-mile streetcar that will run through the heart of Orange County, in Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Continue reading→

OC Streetcar Open House set for 11/16 at the Santa Ana Senior Center

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: OC Streetcar Community Open House – Thursday, November 16, 2017 / Reunión Pública

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is hosting a community open house for the OC Streetcar project – the first modern streetcar in Orange County. Stop by any time during the open house this Thursday, November 16, 2017, to learn the latest on the design of the streetcar system, project schedule, upcoming construction and more. Continue reading→

Pres.Trump and Congress are committing $50M to help build the OC Streetcar

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2017

OC Streetcar Continues Rolling with Federal Funding

$50 million included in Congressional funding package for O.C.’s first modern streetcar

ORANGE – Plans to build Orange County’s first modern streetcar took another step forward Monday with the announcement that the project will receive $50 million from the federal government, according to a deal struck by Congressional leaders.

The inclusion of the OC Streetcar in the Congressional funding package, expected to be signed by the President, is another strong indicator of federal support for the streetcar project, which will run through the heart of Orange County in Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Continue reading→

OC Streetcar among top 10 State infrastructure projects

Posted on by Posted in california, Garden Grove, Jerry Brown, OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation 7 Comments

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 24, 2017

OC Streetcar Among Top 10 State Infrastructure Projects

Gov. Brown recommends expedited review to the federal government for the modern electric streetcar to run through Santa Ana and Garden Grove

ORANGE – Gov. Jerry Brown has included the OC Streetcar project on a list of 10 high-priority infrastructure projects that the federal government should consider for expedited permitting, he announced during a press conference today.

The modern electric streetcar, which will connect commuters to employment centers, schools and major retail destinations in Santa Ana and Garden Grove, was included in a letter from the state to the federal Council on Environmental Quality. In it, the governor urges that the OC Streetcar and nine other projects from across the state be designated as a high priority for California. Continue reading→

The OCTA is trying to find federal funds to pay for the O.C. Streetcar

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 9, 2017

Two O.C. Transportation Projects on State Priority List for Federal Funds

The I-405 Improvement Project and OC Streetcar among 51 projects forwarded to federal government for funding consideration

ORANGE – Two major Orange County transportation improvement projects were included Wednesday on a priority list that the Governor’s office says should be considered in the development of a federal infrastructure funding package.

The list of projects prioritized for federal funding from across California includes the I-405 Improvement Project, which runs from SR-73 in Costa Mesa to the county’s border with Los Angeles, and the OC Streetcar, which will run through the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Continue reading→

OC Streetcar community meetings set for August 13 and 17

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: Help Create a Vision for the OC Streetcar Stops. Community Meetings on August 13 and 17

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is hosting two community meetings where you can find out the latest on the OC Streetcar project, meet RNL – the streetcar stop design consultant, and provide your thoughts regarding your community’s character and preferences:

Saturday, August 13, 10:00 to 11:30 am, Ebell Club, 625 French Street, Santa Ana

Wednesday, August 17, 6:00 – 7:30 pm, Santa Ana City Corporate Yard, 220 S. Daisy
Avenue, Santa Ana Continue reading→

President Obama proposes to contribute $125M to the OC Streetcar project

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation 2 Comments

The proposed OC Streetcar is one milestone closer to becoming the county’s first modern light-rail system, after President Barack Obama included $125 million for it in his proposed federal budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to the O.C. Register.

The OC Streetcar project still needs to come up with another $20 million dollars. OCTA officials believe they can do so from state programs or local state tax dollars.

The streetcar will have 10 stops in each direction concentrated in Santa Ana’s Civic Center area running to the eastern edge of Garden Grove. Continue reading→

The OCTA commits $56M to the light rail line that will connect Santa Ana to Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Garden Grove, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation 1 Comment

Original Santa Ana Streetcar

In a bid to win federal approval and matching funds, the OCTA agreed Thursday to commit $56 million toward a new light-rail line connecting Santa Ana and Garden Grove. By making the commitment, the OCTA stands to gain up to $144 million from a competitive federal grant program called New Starts to spend on a planned $289 million light-rail line, according to the O.C. Register.

Santa Ana had a streetcar years ago but it was removed – in part to mollify the automobile manufacturers who wanted folks to drive instead of using light rail.  It was part of the Pacific Electric rail system, which was a privately owned mass transit system in Southern California consisting of electrically powered streetcars, interurban cars, and buses and was the largest electric railway system in the world in the 1920s. Organized around the city centers of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, it connected cities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County and Riverside County, according to Wikipedia. Continue reading→

The OC Streetcar Project takes the next step

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Pacific Electric Santa Ana Streetcar

City of Santa Ana, Orange County’s Downtown

OC Streetcar Project Takes Next Step

A Memorandum of Understanding was authorized between OCTA and the City of Santa Ana

The OC Streetcar project marked its latest milestone this week as the Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the city of Santa Ana outlining the roles and responsibilities associated with the development, implementation, operations and maintenance of the project.

The OC Streetcar is planned to travel through the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove, intended to provide easy connections for people traveling from trains and buses to employment, retail and recreational areas. Continue reading→