Editorial

When the CenterLine project began, it was much larger and about twice

as costly as the scaled-back version making the rounds now. The

$2.3-billion light rail system would have run 28 miles between Irvine to

Fullerton. Stops along the way included Anaheim, Orange, Santa Ana and

Costa Mesa.

That project was put on hold when a few of the cities lost interest

and other neighboring cities argued against it. Recently, though, the

Orange County Transportation Authority agreed to move ahead with the

smaller incarnation.

As it is now, the $1-billion, 20-mile system will link three cities --

Costa Mesa, Irvine and Santa Ana. Both Anaheim and Orange were excluded

from the new project because of their weak support for the former plan.

Among the local stops will be John Wayne Airport and South Coast

Plaza, two county locations that must continue to thrive. While we

haven’t spoken with officials at South Coast Plaza, we can’t see why they

wouldn’t want the rail system to drop shoppers off there. After all, the

mall sells $1 billion annually and a stop for shoppers seems an easy

sell.

Costa Mesa made the right choice in volunteering to be a stop along

the line. Its leaders are on the right track when it comes to the area’s

transportation woes and know it’s best to start sooner than later.

Newport Beach officials in March said they were concerned that

CenterLine -- by stopping at John Wayne Airport -- would lead the airport

to expand. We don’t think that concern should stop such a rail that helps

the county as a region, which could use all the help it can get in

alleviating freeway and arterial highway traffic.

This county needs CenterLine, and both Anaheim and Orange should have

stuck with it.

Orange County, which is the fourth most populated area in the nation,

lacks in the way of public transit. If you go to the other three areas,

you’ll find subways and elevated rail lines, and if you stop into those

areas that fall directly behind us in population, you’ll find more

subways and elevated rails, including monorails.

It’s time for the county, like Costa Mesa, to think ahead, knowing all

too well that there is no end to the population in sight in the near

future.