Grand jury report OKs OCTA light rail project

The Orange County (Calif.) Transportation Authority's CenterLine light rail project was deemed an important component of public transportation for the future growth of the county, according to an Orange County grand jury report. After studying the CenterLine project over the past seven months, the grand jury issued a report called "CenterLine Redux," which provided a detailed analysis of the light rail roject. The grand jury often explores public policy issues and shares its recommendations to benefit community dialogue. The planned 11.4-mile CenterLine project travels from downtown Santa Ana, Calif., to the county's commercial and business community in Costa Mesa to the University of California, Irvine. Planners project CenterLine trains would carry 21,800 on opening day and 31,600 by 2025. Estimated cost for the project is $1.2 billion. With more than 2.9 million people, Orange County is the state's second most dense county after San Francisco.