Millions Approved For Orange County Streets and Signals Through Measure M2

Orange County streets will see an influx of $49.6 million after the Orange County Transportation Authority board approved the funding of 24 improvement projects through voter-approved Measure M2.

The following projects were approved by the board this week:

• More than $34 million for the 2013 Regional Capacity Program to fund 10 projects
• Approximately $15 million to fund 14 signal synchronization projects

“This funding will benefit our communities tremendously and it delivers on keeping the promises we made in Measure M,” said OCTA Chairman Greg Winterbottom. “We have strong partnerships with all 34 cities and the county and look forward to seeing these improvements for the residents of Orange County.”

Unanimously approved by the OCTA board, the funds will go toward street improvements in Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Irvine, Newport Beach, Orange, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin and unincorporated Orange County.

Signal synchronization projects being funded are in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach and unincorporated Orange County.

Projects were approved through the competitive Comprehensive Transportation Funding Program. Applications were reviewed for eligibility, consistency and adherence to guidelines and program objectives including transportation benefits, cost effectiveness and project readiness.

Measure M2 is Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements and was approved by 70 percent of voters in 2006. The program officially went into effect April 1, 2012 and is expected to bring in approximately $15 billion during the next 30 years.