Orange County panel OKs grant application for streetcar project

The Orange County Transportation Authority's (OCTA) board yesterday approved seeking a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that would cover nearly half the cost to build the Orange County Streetcar project.

The board will seek an FFGA from the FTA for $148.9 million, according to an OCTA press release.

Overall, the project is expected to cost $299.3 million, with the remaining costs covered by state cap-and-trade funds, other federal funds and local Measure M, the county's half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

OCTA has been working with the FTA since the beginning of the project to meet eligibility requirements for funding and "has received several approvals along the way signaling strong support at the federal level," according to the press release.

Earlier this month, congressional leaders allocated $50 million in funding for the project for the current fiscal year.

Design is now 90 percent completed. A contract to build the project is scheduled to be awarded this winter, OCTA officials said.