The OC Streetcar still has a long way to go

The OC Streetcar is projected to begin service in the spring of 2026. Santa Ana residents have anticipated this project since its construction in 2018 (with talks going even farther).

At the mention of the projected date during a public presentation of the OC Streetcar at Lydia Romero-Cruz Academy, an attendee commented, “That seems like a long time.”

The delay is understandable given the amount of testing needed for the streetcar, which is being treated like a light rail system because it operates alongside car traffic.

According to Orange County Transportation Authority Communications Specialist Eric Carpenter via email, “The OC Streetcar will be Orange County’s first modern electric streetcar. OCTA, working with its contractors, has learned a lot in the process.”

General Information

The streetcar, built to hold up to 220 people, is powered by electricity and travels on a track embedded into the street, sharing a lane alongside other vehicles.

The 4.15-mile route connects Santa Ana to Garden Grove. The trip is estimated to take 22 minutes from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center to Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove.

The streetcar will run Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The fare will be the same as the OCTA bus, and students will be able to ride for free.

Progress

The progress of the streetcar is 92% complete, but it will not debut until spring of next year.

Delivery of the carts started on Tuesday. There will be eight streetcars in total, six of which will be in service and two will be spares.

The carts will be delivered to Santa Ana Boulevard between Raitt and Western Street between midnight to 6 a.m. Deliveries are scheduled every two weeks until the summer.

The next phase of the OC Streetcar plan is the completion of the overhead wire system that will power the streetcar and will be installed along the route.

Safety and Tips

Pedestrians are warned to be mindful, as the streetcar is quieter than a bus due to being powered by electricity. The streetcar will not have a loud horn to signal its movement on the road. Instead, the streetcar will only make noise when near stops or when necessary.

Exercise caution, be aware of your surroundings, stay alert and wait behind crossing gates.

The streetcar will follow the speed limit like every other vehicle. Motorists should keep a minimum distance of 15 feet from the streetcar and not travel too fast behind it. With the streetcar and vehicles sharing the road, cars should not be parked in the streetcar’s path.

For cyclists, it is important that they do not cut in front of moving streetcars and should avoid riding in the streetcar lane.

For residents worried about the safety of students in schools, the streetcar tracks pass through schools such as NOVA Academy, the streetcar will be at its slowest, aware of the high school, and go at a “walking speed.”

Community Sentiment

Some residents are excited to see the finished product despite the long wait. “I think seeing it come to life is pretty neat,” said Liz Diaz, who grew up in Santa Ana.

“Seeing the city being developed is fun, exciting and new. It’s opening up the doors for transportation,” said Diaz.

Concerns were also raised about the impact construction would continue to have on members of the community who live along the streetcar line. Santa Ana residents are expected to face congested traffic daily due to the streetcar and construction along Bristol Street as well.

Santa Ana resident Marika Poynter is directly impacted by ongoing construction. “I think that the [streetcar] currently planned for Santa Ana is short-sighted because it is such a short track,” said Poynter. “It will provide some transportation to the downtown area. That’s really not going to be ideal in terms of getting the mass public around.”

“While it is a good idea and has a good start, in general, it’s not going to be a viable opportunity moving into the future for public transit,” said Poynter.