Link to OCTA Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
OCTA is updating the transportation plan for Orange Country thru 2035. This plan is very important because every project must fit within the plan to be considered. Look at this plan as your opportunity to have input into what OCTA should be working on.
The public comment period ends on December 13, so speak up soon! This is the link to the comment card .
Plans for Public Transit Are Good, But Where's the Money Coming From?
OCTA has included Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), improved bus and Metrolink service, and Go Local services in the plan, but where is the money going to come from for these increased services? Currently, OCTA had to slash bus service to fit the available budget.
One way to raise revenues for public transit is M3, an extension of M2 specifically for public transportation. The funds would be used for operations and rolling stock, not for roadways. Roadways are already well funded from dedicated government money, it's time to fund public transportation operations from dedicated sources.
Running Out of Room for More Freeway Lanes
We need more public transportation because we are running out of room to build more freeway lanes. Seriously, do we want a 30 lane freeway? Who wants the eminent domain costs, the noise, the eventual congestion and pollution? Orange County is becoming dense enough in areas where improved mass transit is needed.
Go Local Great Idea, but Need Patience and Educated Public
The ideas for Go Local are great - several micro-transportation systems are proposed to service high need areas. But, patience and education are needed to really make these systems effective. The Irvine Shuttle has been criticized for not being used. The public takes a while to understand new public transportation and become a user of it. Success of Go Local programs needs to be measured in years, not months.
Summary of Plan
Here is a summary of the LRTP available from the OCTA website. The detailed plan is full of maps, charts and specific plans for what OCTA needs to do. If you download the document from the OCTA website, be patient because it is about 35 Mb, which is a very large file.
Remember, OCTA needs to hear your comments by December 13 for your ideas to count.
* 2035 population - highest density around Fullerton, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa; other dense areas include Buena Park, Stanton, La Palma, Placentia, Orange Crush, and Talega (pg 39)
* 2035 population density change - Orange Crush, Talega, irvine/El Toro Y, El Toro base, Anaheim, Fullerton, north Yorba Linda, East Orange (pg 40)
* Large growth in people above 60 by 2035 (pg 38)
* Employment in 2035 highest along 55/73, Orange Crush , 91, Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, Tustin, Seal B each, Lake Forest, El Toro Y/Irvine Spectrum, Foothill Ranch (pg 42)
* Largest employment shifts in Orange Crush, along 55, Foothill Ranch, El Toro Y/Irvine Spectrum (pg 43)
* Expecting major slowing on freeways as density increases (pg 48)
* High frequency bus corridors and bus rapid transit (BRT) along certain routes (pg 55, 70) - BRT on Westminster Ave/17th /St for a 22 mile fixed route between Santa Ana and Long Beach, Harbor Blvd for 19 miles between Fullerton and Costa Mesa, Bristol St/State College Blvd for 28 miles from Brea Mall to Irvine Transportation Center
* Metrolink service would be expanded (pg 56) and include fixed guideway in Anaheim and Garden Grove and connecting bus service (pg 56)
* Additional bus service corridors to both within Orange County and to Riverside and Los Angeles counties are being studied (pg 57)
* Toll roads will be expanded with more lanes (pg 58, 93)
* Master Plan of Arterial Highways updated (pg 65, 78) - may include expanding a street in your neighborhood
* More freeway lanes and carpool lanes and include more continuos access (pg 58, 93)
* improving synchronization of traffic signals (pg 63)
* Expanding vanpools (pg 73)
* Bikeways and pedestrian access included ( pg 74, 77)
* Go Local programs
Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) to Fullerton Transportation Center
ARTIC/Anaheim Resort/West Anaheim
Anaheim Canyon Feeder Shuttle
Aliso Viejo Town Center Shuttle
Brea Employee Shuttle
Yorba Linda & Placentia Park-and-Ride Shuttle
La Habra Community Bus
Buena Park Station to Auto Center/Civic Center
Buena Park Station to Buena Park Downtown
Irvine Spectrum Shuttle
Cal State Fullerton Shuttle
Laguna Beach Summer Arts Festival Shuttle
Laguna Woods/Lake Forest/Laguna Hills to Irvine Station
Tri-City Trolley
Tustin Metrolink to Tustin Downtown
Tustin Metrolink to Tustin Legacy
Mission Viejo Blue Line
Bolsa Chica Inter-County Express
Fountain Valley Express
Little Saigon/Fountain Valley/Huntington Beach Express
ARTIC to Anaheim Canyon Station
Lake Forest Metrolink Shuttle
Lake Forest Demand Response Shuttle
Tustin Station to Irvine 1
Tustin Station to Irvine 2
Tustin Station to Irvine 3
Tustin Station to Irvine 4
Irvine Station to Great Park/Woodbury
The wish list for new mass transit (pg 91):
Design, Implementation, and Operation of Local Fixed Route Service - Systemwide local bus service expansion
Service Increase to Existing Express Bus Routes in Central County - Central County Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Industry to Anaheim - Industry Metrolink/Anaheim Resort Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Anaheim to Laguna Hills - NAnaheim Metrolink/Laguna Hills Transit Center Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Orange to Long Beach - The Block at Orange/Long Beach Transit Mall Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from South Coast Metro to Long Beach - South Coast Metro/Wardlow Metro Blue Line Station Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Irvine to Norwalk - Alton Parkway/Yale Loop to Goldenwest Transportation Center/Green Line Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Riverside to Brea - Tyler Galleria/Yorba Linda/Brea Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Riverside to Anaheim - Tyler Galleria/Anaheim Resort Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Riverside to Irvine - Tyler Galleria/Irvine Business Complex/UCI Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irvine - Rancho Santa Margarita/Irvine Spectrum Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Laguna Niguel/Aliso Viejo to Irvine - Laguna Niguel/Aliso Viejo/Irvine Business Complex/UCI Express Bus service expansion
New Express Bus Service from San Clemente to South Coast Metro - San Clemente/UCI/South Coast Metro Express Bus service expansion *
New Express Bus Service from Anaheim to Laguna Hills - Harbor/Manchester/Laguna Hills Transit Center Express Bus service expansion *
Katella Avenue BRT - New BRT service between Long Beach and Orange
Edinger Avenue BRT - New BRT service between Buena Park and Anaheim
Beach Boulevard BRT - New BRT service between Huntington Beach and Tustin
La Palma Avenue BRT - New BRT service between Huntington Beach and La Habra
Tustin - San Juan Capistrano BRT - New BRT service between Tustin Metrolink Station and San Juan Capistrano Metrolink Station
Metrolink Service Expansion Program - Service frequency increase to all stations south of Laguna Niguel/ Mission Viejo
Calfornia-Nevada High-Speed Rail - New service from Anaheim to Ontario
LOSSAN Capacity Increase to San Diego Border - Extend double track in tunnel south of San Juan Capistrano to San Diego County line
Fullerton Transportation Center - Transit station improvements to accomodate high-speed rail
Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) Expansion -
Expansion of the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center
* Pending further study
Detailed project lists are in appendices
Appendix A - Detailed 2035 Baseline Project List
Appendix B - Detailed 2035 Preferred Project List
Appendix C - Detailed 2035 Unconstrained Project List
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