The Orange County (Calif.) Transportation Authority (OCTA) received $1.5 million as part of Congress' FY 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund preliminary engineering on the CenterLine light rail system. The preliminary engineering phase will provide the information needed to refine route alignment and station locations, determine vehicle technology and develop a financial plan. The phase is expected to be complete by September. The 11.4-mile light rail line will run between the University of California, Irvine and the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, which serves Amtrak and Metrolink commuter trains as well as several OCTA bus routes. The CenterLine will provide service to the cities of Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Irvine. More than 415,000 residents and 340,000 jobs will be located within two miles of the proposed alignment.
OCTA receives $1.5 million for light rail project
The federal funds will be used for preliminary engineering on the CenterLine rail system.
More Rail

NJ Transit, Amtrak Prepare to Open First Track on New Portal North Bridge
The new bridge will begin carrying passenger trains on March 16, replacing a 116-year-old swing bridge that has long caused delays.
Read More →
Caltrain Adopts Corridor-Wide Right-of-Way Safety Strategy
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
Read More →
Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Read More →
FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
Read More →
MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility
The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.
Read More →
LA Metro Sets D Line Subway Extension Launch Date
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Read More →
Boston's MBTA Marks Progress in Regional Rail Modernization
The procurement advances the agency's broader efforts to modernize its rail fleet and position Regional Rail for long-term improvement.
Read More →
Amtrak Sets New Course for Long-Distance Fleet Renewal
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
Read More →
STV Finalizes Design for First Phase of TriMet MAX Blue Line Substation Upgrades
The milestone is a significant step toward modernizing the MAX Blue Line’s power infrastructure, one of the oldest components of the region’s light rail system.
Read More →
HDR Selected to Advance LA–Coachella Valley Rail Corridor Project
The firm will lead the Tier 2 environmental review program for the Coachella Valley Rail Corridor, including the conceptual and preliminary engineering needed to develop project-level environmental clearance.
Read More →
