The $163,333 state grant will allow OCTA to establish a countywide inventory of sidewalks
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority has been awarded $163,333 in Active Transportation Program grant funds to complete the Orange County Sidewalk Inventory Project.
The grant is from the Southern California Association of Governments, in partnership with the California Department of Transportation. It allows OCTA to establish a countywide inventory of sidewalks that will identify the gaps, obstructions and amenities that may block pedestrian activity and access.
The study will take about 12 months to complete and will cover 1,620 miles of roadways, major transit corridors and sidewalks within a half-mile radius of all 11 Metrolink rail stations and all six transportation centers in Orange County.
Once completed, the study will provide a database of useful, accurate and easily accessible information regarding the locations of countywide sidewalks. It will generate geographically accurate information needed for OCTA and its local agency partners to develop effective active transportation plans. It also will pave the way for the implementing improvements, including the planning and design of complete streets and promoting first- and last-mile transit connections.
The state’s Active Transportation Program was created in 2013 to encourage the increased use of active modes of transportation including biking and walking. It merged a variety of transportation programs, including the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, state Bicycle Transportation Account and federal and state Safe Routes to School, into a single program to encourage increased use of active transportation modes.
The grant requires an 11 percent local match contribution – $21,162 – which will come from State Transportation Improvement Program funds set aside by the OCTA board for planning studies. The total project study cost is $184,495.
