Federal Transit Administration acting administrator, Ms K Jane Williams, and Orange County Transportation Authority (Octa) CEO, Mr Darrell Johnson, also signed a $US 149m full-funding grant agreement which, along with other federal funding, will pay for more than half of the project. The project is being funded through a combination of federal and state sources as well as Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transport improvements.
The 6.6km line will link the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center with Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, running along Santa Ana Boulevard, Fourth Street and the former Pacific Electric right-of-way, connecting with Octa’s busiest bus routes.
Six Siemens S70 LRVs - with two spares - will operate daily, making stops at 10 locations in each direction with a headway of 10 - 15 minutes. The vehicles will feature the OC Streetcar logo and will carry a blue, orange and white livery in keeping with other Octa transit services.
Each LRV has capacity for 180 passengers, including 70 seated. The line is expected to carry approximately 7300 passengers per day in its first year of operation.
In September, Walsh Construction was awarded a $US 220.5m contract to build the line and the OC Streetcar is scheduled to begin testing and operations in late 2021.
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