City officials in Santa Ana are considering a downtown circulator streetcar loop to help people get around without use of an automobile. Four senior city administrators recently toured the Portland streetcar and declared that such a system would be “a good fit” in developing a vibrant live-work-play urban atmosphere for Santa Ana, the seat of Orange County. A very preliminary initial route would serve the Amtrak/Metrolink station, the city center and the government complex. Funding — about $15 million per mile ($9.3 million per km) — would come from the federal government and the Orange County Transportation Authority. The proposal is already generating political support. “I'm pretty excited about the opportunity and the possibilities for our community,” Councilman David Benavides told The Orange County Register.
