OC Streetcar Construction Reaches Major Milestone
The agency and its partners marked the completion of the frame for the OC Streetcar’s Maintenance and Storage Facility in Santa Ana, which is where the streetcar vehicles will be stored, washed, and maintained.
The Walsh Group signed the final beam that was then lifted to the top of the building along with an American flag and a tree (a construction tradition) and secured into place at the top of the building.
OCTA
Construction of the OC Streetcar project reached a milestone this week as construction crews placed the final steel beam on the building that will house the streetcar vehicles.
Several staff members from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), which is building the OC Streetcar, and from the contractor The Walsh Group signed the final beam that was then lifted to the top of the building along with an American flag and a tree (a construction tradition) and secured into place at the top of the building.
It marked the completion of the frame for the OC Streetcar’s Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) in Santa Ana, which is where the streetcar vehicles will be stored, washed, and maintained.
Construction of the rails and stations continues along the route, including in Downtown Santa Ana, where crews are working on an expedited schedule and OCTA is working with the city of Santa Ana to minimize the effects of construction on local businesses.
The OC Streetcar vehicles are being manufactured by Siemens in northern California. Completing the MSF building will allow for the vehicles to be delivered and stored once they are finished. Delivery of the first streetcar vehicles is expected in 2023, with testing expected to begin shortly after.
The OC Streetcar, estimated to cost $509.5 million with a majority of the cost paid with federal funding, will run on just over four miles of track in each direction through Santa Ana and Garden Grove. It is scheduled to begin operations in early 2024.
The OC Streetcar route, chosen by the city of Santa Ana, will serve the city’s thriving downtown and dense employment areas that include county and local government offices and courthouses in the Civic Center.
The streetcar will carry passengers between the busy Santa Ana transit center and a transit stop at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove, running along Santa Ana Boulevard, Fourth Street and the Pacific Electric right-of-way and connecting with OCTA’s busiest bus routes.
Six vehicles — with two spares — will operate daily, making stops at 10 locations in each direction every 10 to 15 minutes.
More Rail
Biz Briefs: STV teams with Amtrak, Motorcoach Operators Boost Fleet and Land Contracts, and More
From manufacturers and suppliers to transit agencies and motorcoach operators, these updates offer a snapshot of the projects, partnerships and business moves driving the industry forward.
Read More →
Metra Celebrates 100 Years of Electric Rail, Looks to the Future
The event was also a celebration of recent reforms to public transportation in the Chicago area, changes that could be as transformative in the future as the major civic achievement a century ago, said officials.
Read More →
LA Metro Marks Banner Year, Sets Ambitious Goals for New Fiscal Year
Incoming LA Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined outgoing Board Chair Fernando Dutra and LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins to review accomplishments from fiscal year 2026, which included the opening of new rail extensions, advancement of major transit projects, expanded safety programs, and new rider amenities.
Read More →
DART Taps Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. as Next President/CEO
Since 2012, Ford has served as the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Read More →
California High-Speed Rail Authority Signs MOU to Advance High Desert Corridor
The agreement deepens collaboration between the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency, supporting design integration, cost savings, and faster delivery of a key Southern California rail link.
Read More →
Building the Next Generation of Transit Technology
In this edition of METROspectives, Luminator CEO Magnus Friberg discusses the company's transformation, the growing role of AI and software, and what's next for transit technology.
Read More →
How Data, Strategy, and Community Engagement Are Reshaping Transit
In this edition of METROspectives, strada360 CEO Steve Lassey discusses how transit agencies can better align planning with operations, leverage data to improve decision-making, and build public trust as they prepare for the future of mobility.
Read More →
TTC Launches Camera Pilot to Curb Illegal Passing of Streetcars
During the pilot, the cameras will measure how often illegal streetcar passing occurs and test the technology's reliability for future automated enforcement.
Read More →
NJ TRANSIT Secures Capital Funding, Adopts FY2027 Budget
The budgets continue investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair and enhance the overall customer experience.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Masabi Teams with St. Louis Metro and More
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Transdev, Hitachi, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.
Read More →