Santa Ana — Council to Decide Streetcar Route

July 2014

The Orange County Register reports that the Santa Ana City Council will be voting on a preferred route for a streetcar line connecting to Garden Grove.

However, a group of more than 150 merchants have state their opposition to a line that would run through their Fourth Street business district. On Aug. 5, the City Council is expected to choose one of two alternatives: a $238 million line that would follow Santa Ana Boulevard and Fourth Street or a $257 million line along Santa Ana Boulevard, Civic Center Drive, and Fifth Street.

Both options would provide service from the Santa Ana rail station to downtown and would connect to a new transportation center on Westminster Avenue and Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove.

The city’s Environmental and Transportation Advisory Committee just voted 3-1 for the costlier route along Civic Center Drive and Fifth Street to as it would generate more economic development in that area.

The other alternative, said committee member Brian Bist, would negatively affect Fourth Street businesses and create parking and traffic issues for an already busy route. The City Council, though, could vote either way.

The city’s interim public works executive director noted that a vote by the committee is not required before council consideration, but that the committee's overall position is valued, as is detailed input on the plan.