Cities throughout Orange County will receive more than $40 million to help ease traffic through Measure M (also known as OC Go), the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
The OCTA Board of Directors awarded funding for 11 projects to improve and widen busy streets and intersections. Six additional projects will receive funding to synchronize traffic signals to ensure drivers hit the most green lights during rush hours.
“OCTA continues to invest Measure M funds in critical road projects throughout the county,” said OCTA Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, also the Fifth District County Supervisor. “Partnering with cities and the county, we are putting our local tax dollars to work to improve Orange County’s transportation network.”
Since Orange County’s Measure M was renewed by voters in 2006, more than $345 million in competitive funding has been awarded to make our streets and roads better. That’s in addition to another $325 million allocated by formula for city transportation projects.
In addition to the local funds, OCTA secured an additional $6.8 million from the state through the SB1 gas tax to provide additional funding for several of the signal synchronization projects.
The most recent call for projects was issued by OCTA in August 2017 through the Comprehensive Transportation Funding Program, making funding available on a competitive basis for projects that will improve congested streets and synchronize traffic signals.
Project applications were reviewed for eligibility, consistency and adherence to the program guidelines.
The cities receiving project funds include: Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Santa Ana and Yorba Linda.
Regional capacity projects include:
- Improving Warner Avenue from Standard to Grand avenues and from Main to Oak streets in Santa Ana
- Widening University Drive from Ridgeline Drive to Interstate 405 in Irvine
- Widening Yorba Linda Boulevard from La Palma Avenue to Santa Ana Canyon Road in Yorba Linda.
- Improving the interchange at Lambert Road and the SR-57 freeway.
Signal synchronization projects include:
- Orangethorpe Avenue Corridor in Fullerton
- Katella Avenue/Villa Park/Santiago Canyon corridor in Anaheim
- Garden Grove Boulevard in Garden Grove