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Federal Highway Administrator Joins OCTA, Caltrans to Break Ground
On ARRA-Funded West County Connectors Project in Orange County
Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez came to Orange County, Calif. June 14 to join local and state officials to break ground on the $328-million West County Connectors Project.
The federal official also shared a post of this project event on U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s Fast Lane blog.
The construction project will deliver congestion relief where the San Diego Freeway (I-405), San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and the Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) converge.
“This project will strengthen the region’s economy with jobs and improve the quality of life by reducing traffic congestion for hundreds of thousands of commuters who use this route each day,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim.
 This two-phase project traverses the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, and the community of Rossmoor. The project will reduce congestion by creating a seamless bus/carpool lanes link on the San Diego Freeway (I-405) with those on the Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) and San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605). The project is expected to be completed by summer 2014.
“My Administration is working hand-in-hand with President Obama’s team to ensure stimulus dollars are pumped into California quickly and responsibly to stimulate the economy, and in this instance – invest in the future of California’s transportation infrastructure,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $49.5 million. Other funds for the project include:
- $186 million from the 2006 voter-approved transportation 1B bond
- $87 million from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program
- $5 million in local transportation funds
“We are looking forward to seeing this vital transportation project bring congestion relief to drivers in Orange County and provide much-needed jobs for the construction sector,” said OCTA Chairman Jerry Amante, also the mayor of Tustin. “Creating employment opportunities through infrastructure projects like the West County Connectors is a critical component in rebuilding our economy.”
Shovels Break Ground on ARRA-Funded Riverside Freeway
Underneath a banner that proclaimed “Getting to Work,” officials and constructions workers grabbed shovels in November to break ground on the $59.5-million project that will relieve congestion and ease a chronic traffic bottleneck along the Riverside Freeway (SR-91).
 This groundbreaking event signaled the long-awaited start of Orange County’s largest federal stimulus transportation project that will build a new 6-mile eastbound lane from Anaheim to Corona.
The widening project will add capacity on the eastbound SR-91 freeway between the Eastern Toll Road (SR-241) and the Corona Freeway (SR-71).
“This project was ready to move forward when the funding for construction dried up. If it weren’t for the federal funds through the stimulus program, this project would not be moving forward today,” said OCTA Board Member Curt Pringle. “This is a huge benefit to our entire community. This investment will have a huge impact on many lives.”
The project is funded primarily with $47.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) provided additional state funding of $5 million and OCTA contributed $6.6 million from 91 Express Lanes toll revenues.
GAO Reviews Orange County’s Transparency in Transportation
Officials from the U.S. Government Accountability Office visited Orange County this morning to review how OCTA is utilizing federal recovery funds for transit.
Lacy Vong, Brooke Leary and Al Larpenteur reviewed information from OCTA staff members on the progress of transit projects provided by federal recovery funds and how jobs are being protected thanks to the Recovery Act Transit Capital Assistance program.
The GAO officials also reviewed OCTA’s Web site, “Transparency in Transportation.” The interactive Web site, the first of its kind, shares with the public how Orange County is utilizing federal funds to for bus transit, rail transit as well as freeways and roads to protect and create thousands of jobs to help turn around our nation’s economy.
 “This new online tool provides the highest level of transparency for these transportation improvements,” said OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa. “Orange County has already started work on much-needed transit and infrastructure projects with stimulus funds and residents will have the ability to track how the money is being invested.”
The site contains specific information about each Orange County project including:
- How tax dollars are being used
- The status of each project
- How many jobs will be preserved or created
An interactive map allows residents to view projects in their immediate area. In addition, there’s a section where the public can provide comments, sign up to receive e-mail updates or follow projects on Twitter and Facebook.
OCTA is receiving $212 million in federal stimulus funds to move forward with numerous projects that will create thousands of jobs and help turn around the nation’s struggling economy, including money for bus maintenance and operations and a project on the Riverside Freeway (SR-91) and major freeway connectors linking Southern California’s freeways called the West County Connectors.
GAO officials also discussed tracking, monitoring and internal control issues to maximize accountability and that transportation improvements are successful.
'Roadmap to Recovery' Set to Create More than 600,000 Jobs in Second 100 Days
President Obama and Vice President Biden plan to accelerate the pace of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act implementation over the second 100 days for the administration. The national roadmap sets out plans for rehabilitation and improvement projects at 98 airports and more than 1,500 highway locations.
Click here to learn more.
Ranking Pennsylvania Congressman 'Impressed' with Ready-to-Work Orange County
A ranking Republican congressman on the House Railroad Subcommittee said on May 29 that he was “impressed with Orange County’s work to deliver improvements” to the nation’s second-busiest railways. Congressman Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania spent the day getting familiar with the transportation system in Orange County, the nation’s fifth most-densely populated county.
Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche and OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa provided details about $67 million of local investment under way to create a world-class transportation hub called ARTIC or the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center. “Anaheim and Orange County are the epicenter of two major high-speed train projects,” Pringle said. “Federal stimulus funds, private and local funds and California bonds will provide important resources to help deliver state-of-the-art systems.”
 The first link of the California high-speed rail is between Anaheim and Los Angeles with more than 700 miles connecting Southern California with San Francisco by a three-hour train. California-Nevada super speed train connects Anaheim with Las Vegas – powered by maglev technology that safely transports passengers more than 250 miles in less than 1.5 hours.
The 16-acre ARTIC site will serve as the gateway to both modern rail systems. A bold and iconic design – featuring a soaring 189-foot-high archway resembling a modern hangar – won praises from transportation officials, who awarded a $24.3 million design contract to the team of Parsons Brinckerhoff / HOK. OCTA and Anaheim officials expect to break ground late 2010 with the center operating in 2013. ARTIC also will serve more frequent Metrolink and Amtrak service.
Shuster concluded his tour with a discussion on goods movement or freight traffic that drives economic growth, but impacts local communities with increased noise, pollution and traffic congestion. OCTA is making improvements to railways to improve both freight and passenger traffic with local funds and available federal matching funds.
Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center
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High-Speed Rail
between Orange County and Los Angeles |
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High-Speed Rail
between Orange County and Las Vegas |
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Los Angeles - San Diego Rail Corridor Map
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Stimulus Dollars On The Way For SR-91
The federal government approved $67.7 million in stimulus funds on May 29 for the construction of an additional eastbound lane from the Eastern Toll Road (SR-241) to the Corona Expressway (SR-71).
“Orange County is leading the way for an economic recovery in the region,” said OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa. “The SR-91 project kicks off the creation of thousands of jobs for the county while bringing much needed traffic relief to commuters who travel that stretch of freeway daily.”
Caltrans, in partnership with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), secured the money well ahead of the June 30 deadline to use the funds, as required by the federal government.
Click here for the full press release or learn more about the SR-91 project.
Stimulus Dollars On The Road To Orange County
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on May 4 that the state has awarded more than $1 billion in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to transportation projects throughout the state.
Obligating these funds comes two months ahead of the deadline set by the federal government, ensuring the dollars will be utilized quickly and effectively to boost the state’s economy and deliver much-needed transportation projects.
Caltrans District 12 in Orange County has been allocated funding for 41 local projects in the amount of $32.4 million and seven Transportation Enhancement projects in the amount of $4 million. These local city projects are throughout Orange County.
Click here for Gov. Schwarzenegger’s press release and list of projects.
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