Central County MIS

I (the Steve) helped Ted Nguyen at OCTA out with some photographs from the California High Speed Rail Los Angeles-Anaheim segment meeting, a packed auditorium well-attended by 150 or so folks whom, I noticed, were at least 40 years of age and above. Anyways, I'll write tomorrow more on it.

Below is pasted a copy of OCTA's latest Weekly Update newsletter. The most interesting part of the newsletter is this:

Policy Committee to Meet about Major Investment Study

Thursday, Jan. 28 –  The Central County Corridor Major Investment Policy Advisory Committee meeting will take place at OCTA headquarters in conference room 103 / 104 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Contact Fernando Chavarria at (714) 560-5306 or fchavarria@octa.net.

If you recall, this is the proposal to extend the 57 freeway underneath the Santa Ana River, or even operate light rail/buses near the river. I think anyone interested in future of Orange County's transit should attend this meeting. read more→

OCTA asks, "How would you improve central O.C's Future Transportation System? Have your say right now here" in a posting last week to the Santa Ana Community Development Resource Network.

Take the two minute survey and share your "transportation tips." If you think transit is the way of the future, register your opinion with a click of the mouse. Or maybe you think it's better to increase and improve connections to Metrolink? Or perhaps you believe its best to enhance our streets and/or expand or extend freeways. Whether you think some of these, all of these, or none of these, are good ideas, click your mouse on http://www.surveymonkey.com /s.aspx? sm=PvOkciehFgboK QRKyM8saw_3d_3d now and have your say today!"

Fernando Chavarria
Orange County Transportation Authority External Affairs Division
(714) 560-5306 fchavarria@octa.net

Some of the survey's proposals make sense — including bus rapid transit with dedicated lanes, and traffic signal synchronization — while others are pretty crazy (or creative, depending on how you look at it). On the left, OCTA proposes to run an expressway at the bottom of the Santa Ana River, during the dry season. And below, OCTA is proposing running a freeway in a tunnel underneath the river.

What do you think? Should we promote healthier transit alternatives, or keep on building freeways in Orange County? Vote now. read more→