City gets green light for Go Local
The city is another step closer to seeing an Aliso Viejo shuttle service come to fruition.
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors approved our Go Local Step 1 program allowing us to move forward with the opportunity for Step 2 of the project, Mayor Pro Tem Phillip Tsunoda said Wednesday, while complimenting staff for its hard work.
The boards approval paves the way for the city to move forward with the second step in the Go Local program.
The shuttle service would transport people from major city employment hubs to Town Center and the Metrolink station in Laguna Niguel. It could also link riders to other nearby desirable centers. The project, which is funded through a Go Local grant from OCTA, is meant to reduce emissions and support the citys Walkable community. The city is proactive in its efforts to transform Aliso Viejo into a more walkable community, which is a critical aspect of a healthy, vibrant and sustainable community.
The go local program will also assist local businesses in meeting air quality and land use requirements, and City officials hope to have public/private partnerships to support the effort.
The four-step Go Local program is a process to plan and implement city-initiated transit extensions to OCTAs Metrolink commuter rail line. The Metrolink rail line is the backbone of transit in Orange County. Two-thirds of Orange Countys population and jobs are within a four-mile radius of each of the county”s 11 Metrolink stations, according to OCTA.
Based on surveys conducted as part of Step 1 with local residents, businesses, employers and current Metrolink users, first year Aliso Viejo ridership is projected to be slightly more than 47,000 passengers per year.
Step 2 work, which consists of the final design and environmental clearance of the city’s shuttle bus service, could begin toward the end of June and take up to 12 months to complete.
The second step consists of cities competing for additional funding to further develop the most promising projects.
###
Submitted By
Kelly Tokarski
KT Community Relations
