Study looks at a new transit system for Orange County

Bryce Alderton

Huntington Beach has joined forces with 10 Orange County cities to

search for ways to ease the traffic congestion clogging Southern

California freeways.

Options being thrown around include the construction of a mass transit

system such as monorails, traditional light-rails such as the Metro Blue

Line used in Los Angeles and Long Beach and a new bus rapid transit

system.

Heading up this coalition of cities is the Orange County

Transportation Authority, which has spent a year and about $1 million on

a study to find ways to improve road and travel condition.

The goal to to get some cars off the roads, said George Urch,

spokesman for the transportation authority.

“We’re trying to come up with other modes [of transportation],” Urch

said. “Orange County is urbanized and congested and people are looking

for different ways to travel.”

The study is expected to be finished in June, and a final plan will be

submitted to the cities and the transportation authority board of

directors in August.

Meanwhile public workshops will be held to gather input from the

community on transportation issues, Urch said.

Cities conducted their own study in June 2000 and concluded that

providing more timely, efficient ways to get from point A to point B will

be critical with more people moving into the county in the next 20 years.

Funding for the proposed systems would most likely come from a

combination of local, state and federal grants, Urch said.

In October the transportation authority board approved a light-rail

system that will link Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Irvine.

The proposed CenterLine project will be an 18-mile, 22-station light

rail system that will link employment and entertainment centers of Santa

Ana, Costa Mesa and Irvine.

The $1 billion project is expected to serve 40,000 to 45,000 riders

daily when completed in 2011.

“Right now we’re trying to figure out if we want the rail at an

elevated or street level, middle or left-hand side or right-hand side,”

Urch said. “It should take another one and a half years to work with the

community to iron these things out.”

The agency will be hosting an open house on the possible rail systems

and streets being considered for improvements from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March

21 at Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave. in Huntington

Beach.

* BRYCE ALDERTON is the news assistant. He can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at bryce.alderton@latimes.com