In 2006, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors approved the Measure M2 Project S Transit Extensions to Metrolink Program, previously known as Go Local, to help broaden the reach of the Metrolink system by providing a link between stations and major destinations. As part of this program, the City of Anaheim proposed an east/west high-capacity transit connection, dubbed the Anaheim Rapid Connection or ARC, between the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), the Platinum Triangle and The Anaheim Resort.

In 2012, the City, in cooperation with the OCTA, prepared an Alternatives Analysis (AA) Report evaluating different transit options (bus, streetcar, elevated fixed-guideway) for ARC. Following completion of the AA, the City Council selected the Streetcar as the Locally Preferred Alternative for further environmental analysis.

ARC is proposed to provide streetcar transit service over a 3.2-mile corridor (approximately 6.4 miles of track) within the City of Anaheim. ARC would connect Anaheim’s growing number of residents, workers and visitors with Metrolink, Amtrak, bus and future high-speed train service at ARTIC to neighborhoods, work, recreation, entertainment and sports venues in the Platinum Triangle and The Anaheim Resort.

Within 5 square mile Study Area - Several of the biggest attractions and event centers in the world are located in the City of Anaheim with approximately 25 million visitors annually including: world-renown theme parks (Disneyland and Disneys California Adventure); the largest convention center on West Coast (Anaheim Convention Center); home of two professional sports teams (MLB Angels Baseball and NHL Anaheim Ducks); major concert venues (Honda Center and City National Grove of Anaheim); high density mixed-use communities; and, major entertainment district.

Tourism accounts for 10% of Orange County’s employment, growing tourism helps the County.Growth in The Anaheim Resort and the Platinum Triangle is expected to generate thousands of new jobs (over 23,000 more jobs are projected for the Study Area within the next 20 years).

The Disneyland Resort employs 25,000 cast members and generates $4.7 billion annually for the Southern California economy. That number, from an independent economic impact study conducted in 2010, includes the spending from millions of guests who visit The Anaheim Resort and their impacts on the local businesses and The Anaheim Resort.

Events at the Anaheim Convention Center attract thousands of visitors to Orange County every year. In 2012, an estimated $494 million was spent by all Anaheim convention visitors, with the top five shows bringing a combined 285,000 people to Anaheim and injecting an estimated $226 million into the economy. Plans for an expansion of the Convention Center along Katella Avenue are underway.

The number of residents in the Study Area will also continue to grow – over 15,000 additional residents are projected over the next 20 years, primarily in the Platinum Triangle.

Vision for Study Area – No Car Needed The vision for ARC is to create one seamless urban destination with no car needed – park once, or better yet, arrive by train and ride transit to get around. In the future, ARC will transform how we travel and allow people to leave their cars behind to and from anywhere in Southern California.

Provide a high-capacity, frequent and easy-to-use “last mile” transit connection between ARTIC and key destinations for residents, employees, and visitors. While ARTIC is close to these destinations, it is too far to walk and residents, visitors and workers must use cars, buses, or taxis to get to destinations resulting in additional congestion.

Improve transit service for short trips within The Anaheim Resort and the Platinum Triangle, allowing those who arrive by car to park once and circulate by transit.

Attract riders to transit, support planned growth, and enhance livability within the study area, the City of Anaheim, Orange County, and Southern California.

Support the development of already-entitled, livable urban and sustainable communities in the Platinum Triangle.

Support existing City land use and economic development policies and plans for The Anaheim Resort and the Platinum Triangle.

Implement the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS).

Locate transit in proximity to emerging mixed-use neighborhoods in the Platinum Triangle.

Support Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities consistent with already-entitled land uses.

Promote land use patterns that encourage the use of alternatives to single-occupant automobile use.

Provide a new and sustainable transportation option that attracts ridership to transit due to convenience of use.

Increase regional accessibility to reduce vehicle miles traveled and reduce air pollution.

Maximize transit ridership by developing a transit facility that demonstrates a long-term public commitment to service and public convenience.

Increase economic development and provide job opportunities for skilled workers in the field of sustainable transportation technology.

ARC would offer an easy-to-use, recognizable and visible transit service that will accommodate existing transit users and attract new transit users including:

Commuters and other “conventional” users

Work trips from residents of the Platinum Triangle and other corridor households to work in Orange and Los Angeles Counties/other Metrolink stations in the region

Work trips to the Platinum Triangle and other employment centers from origins in Orange and Los Angeles Counties/other Metrolink stations in the region

Work and recreational trips to the Disneyland Resort and Anaheim Convention Center

Shopping and recreational trips as occur throughout Orange County

High-Speed Rail or Amtrak travelers arriving at ARTIC and traveling to:

The Platinum Triangle

The Anaheim Resort including Disneyland Resort, Anaheim Convention Center, hotels and shopping

Other Anaheim Resort guests/Convention Center attendees:

Travel within The Anaheim Resort

Shared parking at sites in other locations in the corridor

Game day riders to Anaheim Stadium/Honda Center

3.2 mile corridor (approximately 6.4 miles of track, with streetcars sharing travel lanes with vehicles)

6 Stations plus 1 potential interim station

Frequency - Streetcars would arrive at stations every ten minutes during peak times and 20 minutes during non-peak times, with the ability for more frequent service to respond to major events

10 Vehicles:

Each vehicle is approximately 60 feet long and holds up to 120 riders, with up to 240 riders for a two-vehicle train

Low-floor design of the vehicles combined with the wide doors and level boarding station design offers easy accessibility for wheelchairs, strollers and luggage.

Maintenance Facility

Ridership – 4,200 projected daily boardings, which would increase to 7,700 projected daily boardings after California High Speed Rail service is in operation

ARC will provide a cleaner, safer and more efficient way to move people supporting livability, enabling economic development, and providing mobility options for the community.

ARC is a key building block in establishing an integrated transportation system that enhances mobility and quality of life and attracts residential, business, and commercial investments

ARC integrates Metrolink into the Anaheim area, which contains nationally and regionally significant attractions, and provides enhanced mobility for a rapidly growing population

ARC expands the universe of those living and working in Anaheim – making errands, appointments, or meals or other activities in the area feasible without the hassle of getting into a car and finding parking both to and back from the trip

ARC will easily integrate into the pedestrian and transit oriented development and supports mixed-use development along the alignment

A Streetcar saves energy and reduces emissions – rail consumes one-fifth the energy of a passenger mile of auto travel. Rail transit reduces auto travel two ways: directly, when a rail passenger mile substitutes for an auto mile traveled, and indirectly, when more accessible land use – created by rail investment – results in lower auto ownership

Transit is an integral part of the City’s vision for creating a new urban place that is dense, mixed use, and walkable

Creates a single destination where no car is needed to get where you want to go. With ARC, the Platinum Triangle and The Anaheim Resort will become one destination connecting countless restaurants, shops, hotels, offices, apartments, condos, sports venues, theaters, the Anaheim Convention Center and theme parks to regional transit

For visitors, provides a visible, efficient and reliable transit service to connect ARTIC, Platinum Triangle development, resort areas and sports venues

For residents and workers, provides last mile connection to regional transit

Promotes more pedestrian‐oriented, compact, transit-friendly development “Livable Communities”

Improves air quality and reduces greenhouse gases

Creates thousands of jobs during construction

Community Support - Enjoys strong community support from diverse stakeholder audiences (residents, business owners, employees, developers)

Streetcars Maximize Ridership and Economic Development

Similar streetcar systems have resulted in better than expected ridership results (in Portland and Seattle, streetcar systems have more than three times the number of daily riders than initially projected)

Recent systems in Seattle and Portland have been a catalyst for economic growth and development, resulting in increases in property values and a higher density of development that makes neighborhoods they serve efficient in land use and highly desirable places to live

Provides certainty for visitors and business and offers a service that is easy, reliable and permanent

An Anaheim Streetcar Economic Impact and Development Study prepared for the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau concludes the proposed ARC Project mirrors the characteristics – for transportation and economic development – found with successful streetcars systems and could be a catalyst for change in The Anaheim Resort and Platinum Triangle

2013 - 2015 – Project Development (Environmental Clearance)/Engineering
2016 – Begin Final Design
2017 – Begin Construction
2018 – System in Operation

Approximately $318.7 million

Vehicles	$44.9
Right-of-Way	$36.1
Construction	$137.9
Engineering and Professional Services	$44.7
SUBTOTAL	$263.6
Contingency/Finance Charges	$55.1
TOTAL	$318.7

Potential Capital Funding Sources: Federal Funding, State and local transit funds, Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID)

Potential Operation Funding Sources: ATID, Sponsorship, Advertising, Retail, Farebox