Rail Planners Have Work To Do

An important crossroad in the development of the proposed $2.3-billion CenterLine light-rail project will come up Tuesday when a split Anaheim City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to endorse construction. Anaheim’s rejection of the rail line would not kill the project, but it surely would have a major impact on its planning and routing.

Anaheim is a linchpin in the line’s current planning. Transportation officials, who are viewing cities along the rail line’s routing as willing partners, have envisioned a 28-mile system running from Fullerton to Irvine. The system’s backbone would take the rail line through the center of the county’s business, recreational, residential and educational centers. That includes downtown Fullerton, Anaheim, the Santa Ana Civic Center and its MainPlace mall as well as South Coast Plaza, the Irvine Business Complex and Irvine Spectrum.

Anaheim is a major tourist destination, with Disneyland, the convention center and its sports complexes, and it serves as the home of many of the county’s lower-income residents and workers. The city is a critical area that should be an integral part of any county transportation system.

It would seem that a light-rail line, as another transportation alternative, would be a welcome addition to the Anaheim area. But unlike other venues along possible routes that have endorsed the project, such as Cal State Fullerton, UCI Medical Center, Santa Ana College, the Fluor Corp. and Henry Segerstrom--whose family owns South Coast Plaza--major Anaheim interests have been strangely silent. Disneyland and the Disney sports complexes have not come out in support of the rail line. They have, however, said they would like to see study continue.

Santa Ana has not given its official endorsement, either, although Orange County Transportation Authority officials believe rerouting the line from Main Street to Bristol Street will satisfy previous city objections.

CenterLine planners see light rail as an important transportation alternative, but there are many reservations that need to be addressed. Planners need to take the time to convince the community to get aboard, especially cities along the proposed routing. If not, light rail will continue having trouble leaving the station.