On May 1, 2017, $50 million for the OC Streetcar was included in a Congressional funding package expected to be signed by the President. This indicates strong federal support for the streetcar project, which will run through the heart of Orange County in Santa Ana and Garden Grove.
“We’re thrilled to see the federal government continue to join us at the local level in recognizing what a strong transportation project this is,” said OCTA Director Miguel Pulido, also the mayor of Santa Ana. “We’ve earned support from our local residents and businesses and we’re happy to partner with the federal government to get the OC Streetcar up and running. This project returns our federal tax dollars to Orange County, leading to additional jobs and increased economic development.”
The OC Streetcar, now in the design and engineering phase, is intended to provide easy connections for people traveling from trains and buses to employment, retail and recreational areas in the heart of Orange County.
OCTA is developing the project and has been working with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) through the federal New Starts program. Other funding is coming from various state and local sources, including Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
The FTA is expected to consider a full-funding grant agreement, which finalizes the total project funding amount from the Capital Investment Grant Program. Federal funding could pay for approximately half of the overall cost.
On the current schedule, construction for the OC Streetcar would begin in 2018, with service beginning in late 2020.
For information on the project, visit here.