Orange County's CenterLine project scrapped—for now

Railway Age, April, 2005

The Orange County Transportation Authority' board of directors has voted unanimously to indefinitely postpone the CenterLine light rail project after 12 years of planning and the expenditure of $68 million for studies, engineering, design, and lobbying.

OCTA will now investigate other transportation options, including bus rapid transit, although several board members insist the Centerline option remains open. A final report on alternative technologies is due in June, alter which a decision on whether or not to scrap LRT would be made.

A primary reason for the board's action was lack of support for the 9.3-mile, $1 billion scheme among the county's mostly Republican congressional delegation, whose help would be vital to obtain $483 million in federal funding. The remainder of the financing would have come from the state, federal air quality grants, and a county transportation sales tax.

The line, which would have linked downtown Santa Ana with John Wayne Airport, Irvine, and Costa Mesa, was to be about half elevated and include a short tunnel in Costa Mesa.