Better Options Than CenterLine

By Chris Norby & Dana Reed

In light of the defeat of Irvine’s measure “A” authorizing a light rail route, the Orange County Transportation Authority recently considered options for the $1 billion-plus earmarked for the proposed CenterLine project.

Among the top choices were enhanced service on the long-existing Metrolink system, or going ahead with an abbreviated CenterLine that excluded the Irvine section.

Unfortunately, the OCTA Board majority voted to continue CenterLine, and divert the $1 billion from other transportation improvements that would be of far greater benefit to O.C. commuters.

Specifically, Metrolink trains already carry 7,000 daily commuters, connecting O.C. with five other counties. The $1 billion dumped into CenterLine could increase capacity and frequency of existing regional rail, providing practical options for beleaguered commuters.

An improved Metrolink would have stops in14 Orange County cities, representing half of our 3 million population. CenterLine will serve only central Santa Ana and a tiny portion of Costa Mesa.

Metrolink operates on 87 miles of dedicated right-of-way in Orange County, most of it owned by OCTA. CenterLine will be built largely down the middle of Bristol Street. Some of its proposed right-of-way is privately owned by reluctant property owners. Future expansion of CenterLine to other cities would be severely limited by land acquisition costs and neighborhood opposition, which derailed the original Santa Ana-to-Fullerton route.

Orange County Metrolink trains currently take 7,000 cars off our roads, while CenterLine will simply replace a few existing buses. Metrolink gets you from Irvine to Fullerton in 27 minutes. Centerline gets you from Santa Ana College to John Wayne Airport in 30 minutes.

CenterLine proponents point to other new transit systems in Vancouver, Washington, D.C., Dallas and San Diego. These systems, however, are either fully elevated, underground or operate on pre-existing rail right-of-ways. CenterLine will be a largely compete with cars on existing city streets - a bus on rails.

CenterLine proponents claim this is the first link of a county-wide system that will eventually stretch to Brea and points west. Acquiring new right-of-way across dense urban areas will be prohibitively expensive and involved endless eminent domain proceedings. Building the system upon existing streets will make the system no faster than existing bus lines.

CenterLine proponents assert that Measure M requires part of the half cent sales tax hike to be used for rail transit. True, but a Bristol Street trolley is not the high-speed regional rail anticipated by Measure M.

What need does CenterLine address?

Is it needed to get from the Santa Ana depot to the Civic Center? There are already convenient bus connections covering that distance just as quickly as would CenterLine. CenterLine would extend south from Santa Ana College. Current bus routes serve the college from all four directions.

Would South Coast Plaza shoppers use CenterLine? Hardly. Property owners won’t allow the tracks through the area unless they are either underground or land is forcibly acquired by eminent domain. The nearest CenterLine stop would be the northeast corner of Bristol and Sunflower. South Coast Plaza shoppers won’t walk that far, when OCTA buses come and go right at the mall’s main entrance.

Will luggage-toting travelers really use CenterLine to access John Wayne airport? Would you?

We join the CenterLine supporters in seeking better transit for Orange County, connected to the entire L.A. basin. But CenterLine isn’t it. Let’s put the money where it will move the most people the fastest.

Chris Norby is a Fourth District Orange County Supervisor. Dana Reed is a former Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority.