OCTA unveils RFP for streetcar construction, hires design firm

The Orange County Transportation Authority's board (OCTA) approved the hiring of RNL Interplan to complete conceptual design for the Orange County Streetcar's stations, the agency announced yesterday.

Rendering of an OC Streetcar vehicle
Source: Orange County Transportation Authority

A team of architects and urban designers will work with the community to plan a suitable design for each stop along the route, OCTA officials said in a press release.

The board also released a request for proposals for a firm to manage the streetcar construction. In addition, OCTA approved respective cooperative agreements with the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove, Calif., for the project's design phase. The agreements outline financial responsibilities and other roles for the design.

The board's actions mark "several important steps forward" for the $289 million OC Streetcar project, OCTA officials said.

The authority has been working with the Federal Transit Administration to obtain funding through the New Starts program. The project also will be funded by state and local sources, including Measure M, which is Orange County's half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

The OC Streetcar will travel along a 4.1-mile route from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center to a new multimodal transit hub in Garden Grove. Up to six streetcars are planned to run along the route, stopping every 10 minutes during peak hours.

On the current schedule, construction for the project would begin late next year, with service starting in 2020.