The conservative bastion of Orange County will soon begin on construction on the mode of transit favored by the Obama Administration: the "modern streetcar."
"Construction of a roughly $300 million trolley system through the heart of Orange County is slated to get underway this year as officials move forward with long-running plans for the OC Streetcar in Santa Ana and Garden Grove," reports Sean Emery.
"The streetcars would run with the flow of street traffic from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, through Santa’s Ana’s burgeoning downtown district, past the seat of county power at the civic center, along the former path of the old Pacific Electric streetcars and finally connect to a new transit hub at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove," adds Emery.
The OC streetcar has succeeded where other rail projects have failed in Orange County—the CenterLine project connecting John Waye Airport to Downtown Santa Ana failed over a decade ago after years of planning. A streetcar proposal through Anaheim, connecting to Disneyland, also failed at the end of 2016.
Planetizen correspondent reported details on the OC Streetcar planning process in April 2016.
Read the full story: Construction expected to begin in 2018 on streetcar through heart of Orange County
OC Streetcar Breaks Ground After Receiving Full Funding Grant Agreement
It's only the third full funding grant administration signed by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The $149 million capital investment grant will help fund the 4-mile modern streetcar line from Santa Ana to Garden Grove in Orange County, Calif.
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Plans Advance for Orange County Streetcar
The $289 million streetcar would serve the cities of Santa Ana (population 329,00), county seat and second densest in California after San Francisco, and Garden Grove (population 170,000) on a 4.1-mile route. Service could begin 2020.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
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Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
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In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland
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How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on
The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
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FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
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Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority