2011 Streets & Roads Highlights

Orange County’s 34 cities and the County of Orange received a total of $77.2 million during fiscal year 2010 – 11 to widen streets, add turn lanes, install median islands, and restripe pavement to enhance traffic flow. Specifically, Measure M1 provided $31.5 million in turnback funds and $42.9 million in competitive grants from the Combined Transportation Funding Programs (CTFP). Measure M2 provided $2.8 million in Fair Share Program funds.

OCTA completed two M1 Smart Streets improvement projects along Imperial Highway in La Habra and at the Imperial and Associated Road intersection in Brea. The final M1 Smart Streets project was under construction on Katella Avenue in the Stanton and Garden Grove area. The improvements include street widening, intersection and median enhancements and the addition of left and right turn pockets.

Implementing traffic light coordination across city boundaries improves flow of traffic and increases travel speed. OCTA completed the first phase of the Traffic Light Synchronization Program along Alicia Parkway, Beach Boulevard, and Chapman Avenue, optimizing traffic signal timing at a total of 159 signalized intersections along 44 miles.

The Regional Capacity Program issued its first annual call for projects. On June 27, 2011, the Board approved funding allocations for 46 projects totaling $55.6 million. Combined with the local agency match component, the total investment will result in more than $107 million in streets and roads improvements throughout Orange County (M2 – Project O).

The OC Bridges Program, a plan to build seven bridges to separate car and train traffic along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, progressed in several ways. OCTA awarded construction contracts for the Placentia Avenue and Kraemer Boulevard grade separation projects, and design work was completed for the Orangethorpe Avenue and Tustin Avenue/Rose Drive underpasses. Design work continued on the Raymond Avenue, State College Boulevard, and Lakeview Avenue projects (M2 – Project O).

Traffic light coordination continued to be a primary focus under M2. A total of $7.8 million was awarded to synchronize more than 500 signals along 140 miles of Orange County streets and roads as part of the M2 Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program (M2 – Project P).