A streetcar named Irvine

Orange County killed its much-debated CenterLine light-rail line a few years ago. But rail might be coming to the O.C. after all. Irvine is considering aa line that would run to the Great Park (being built on the old El Toro Marine base). Backers tell the Orange County Register  that it would carry 5,000 people a day:

The five-mile-long combination streetcar and bus system would link the future Great Park, Irvine Spectrum, Irvine train station and the Lennar Corp.'s housing, commercial and educational development that will surround the Great Park. The project is estimated to cost $280 million based on rising construction costs. Operations are expected to cost $7 million each year. "The guideway is something that will be good for the park -– bringing people to the park without using cars and parking lots," lead Great Park designer Ken Smith said Monday. (Image: Orange County Great Park)

Comments

[kfran]

I was a big proponent of Centerline...so lay off the LA-centric "small minded O.C. residents" riff.

It's as old as the Orange Curtain.

Who was it that voted down future funding for running the subway to the sea along Wilshire back in the '80s, dooming the Westside to 30-50 years of gridlock?

Hmmm those broad-minded L.A. residents, as I recall.

[Scott Mercer]

I should point out that this seems to be a true streetcar line instead of a light rail line as exists now like the Blue Line. What's the difference? The cars are slightly smaller, the trains are shorter, but, more importantly, the whole project should be much cheaper.

A similiar length project in Little Rock, Arkansas cost under $20 million.

Everything costs more around here, but the cost for this Irvine plan should be something comparable to that. And that cost is MUCH LOWER than light rail.

[Marcotico]

Paul. Even though I support the idea it should be paid for by the developer. The idea behind the great park is this new urbanist community linked to the Metrolink, which by the way will be running every half hour in Orange county in two years.

[Shaun]

haha Marcotico, that is so true. I already put my two cents in on that thing but the mentality of people there baffles me.

[Paul]

Who is going to ride this line: people going to their jobs daily, or tourists going to their mall/park destinations? Is the ridership going to be enough to make the line look like a good investment to the rest of Orange County? It just doesn't make sense to me to invest in a light rail line in Orange County that doesn't immediately connect to Los Angeles' rail lines (Metrolink excluded). If this line flops, it's going to make the future of mass transit in Orange County even more bleak.

Here's hope that it ends up being at least a moderate success.

[Marcotico]

For a fun study in contrasts you should check out what the blogs on this subject say in the OC register.

[Daniel OC]

how lame of irvine to be trying to build this now, when the city council fought against the centerline. oh well, maybe if irvine ends up building this thing, the centerline can be revived and be connected to it. baby steps. baby steps.

[AJ]

This seems like a really good idea. I was thinking that more needs to be done to integrate the Irvine train station with existing and new development, and this would be a great boost for all of Irvine and OC. Personally I think that they should find space for a Football Stadium in Irvine and make that a part of this new line as well.

[Shaun]

At least someone in OC has a half of brain. I really hope this gets built b/c it might prove to planners and leaders in OC that they will eventually need rail transit and now is the time to act rather than wait until later. It amazes me that they keep making the same mistakes LA did in it's past but somehow think that they will be the first region in the world to solve congestion from more freeways. All it takes is one successful small light rail line to prove to the small minded OC residents that rail is a good alternative to driving IF it is done right and not shortchanged.