Octa's transportation blog

First OC Streetcar Rail Set into Santa Ana Street

Earlier this month, the first rail was placed on the track that will eventually carry OC Streetcar vehicles through Santa Ana and Garden Grove.

The rail was set in place at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street, and placement continues westbound toward Raitt Street.

“This is an important and very exciting moment for this project as the public can begin to see the actual rail being set into the street for Orange County’s first modern-electric streetcar,” said OCTA Chairman Steve Jones, also the Mayor of Garden Grove. “I hope the community shares my excitement to see this project coming to fruition to provide another important public transit option.”

In a video, OCTA’s chairman, select Board members, and CEO marked the milestone and shared their excitement about OC Streetcar.

Scheduled to begin testing and operations in 2022, the OC Streetcar will run approximately 4 miles of track in each direction through Santa Ana and Garden Grove to serve Santa Ana’s downtown and employment areas.

The streetcar will carry passengers between the busy Santa Ana transit center and a transit stop at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove, running along Santa Ana Boulevard, Fourth Street and the Pacific Electric right-of-way and connecting with OCTA’s busiest bus routes.  

​Six vehicles – with two spares – will operate daily, making stops at 10 locations in each direction every 10 to 15 minutes. 

​For more information on the project, visit here.