OC Road Road Programs
Road Programs is responsible for developing and administering the transportation
multiyear program and updating the annual Capital Improvement Programs. This unit
is also responsible for securing and administering various funding sources which
include Federal, State and Measure M grants for a multitude of road improvement
projects.
PROJECT FUNDING
Project Funding secures grant funds for the planning, design and construction of
road and bridge projects within unincorporated Orange County. Grants are received
from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) through Measure M, and through
the State and Federal government. Project Funding staff actively monitor project
development to ensure critical milestones are met and projects stay within budget.
Staff extensively coordinate with various governmental agencies, including other
divisions within they County, cities, OCTA and Caltrans, as well as private consulting
firms. Project Funding staff also prepare cooperative agreements with other agencies
for the implementation of capital projects. Staff identify possible projects for
inclusion within the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), [add a link to the CIP]
and assists Road Finance in preparing the road component of the County’s budget
to ensure adequate funding for transportation related projects is secured.
For more information on the County’s Project Funding, please contact
Joe Sarmiento
at
 (714)
245-4557.
Master Plan of Arterial Highways (MPAH)
The Master Plan of Arterial Highways (MPAH) is a critical element of overall transportation
planning in Orange County because it defines a countywide circulation system in
response to existing and planned land uses. First adopted by the Orange County Board
of Supervisors in 1956, the MPAH has often been looked to as a model of coordinated
planning, requiring the cities of Orange County to work cooperatively with the County
in implementing a regional transportation system. In 1995, through a transfer agreement
between the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the County of Orange,
OCTA assumed responsibility for the MPAH. As the administration of the MPAH, OCTA
is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the MPAH through its coordination
with Orange County cities and the County.
The MPAH establishes a system of county-wide surface roadways and is a key factor
in the definition of Orange County’s transportation policy. OCTA’s role as the administrator
of the MPAH is to coordinate with the cities and the County of Orange to develop
a consistent inter-community arterial highway system, to effectively serve existing
and future land uses in the County.
The MPAH depicts a network of major thoroughfares comprising freeways, transportation
corridors and five main arterial highway classifications; Principal, Major, Primary,
Secondary and Collector. In addition, one other arterial highway sub-category (Smart
Streets) is identified on the MPAH. This highway network plays a major role in regional
travel by connecting to and complementing the State highway system and local street
network. The Principal, Major and Primary arterial classification and Smart Streets
predominately serve through travel. Secondary and Collector arterial highways function
as collectors funneling traffic from local streets to Primary, Major and Principal
Arterials. Streets that serve predominately as local collectors are generally not
shown on the MPAH because they do not contribute to regional circulation. The overall
network of thoroughfares is designed to accommodate existing and projected traffic.
The MPAH classifications are a statement of policy intended to reserve adequate
right-of-way for future highway improvements. The MPAH can be viewed on the OCTA
web site at www.octa.net
The County and cities’ Circulation Elements are reviewed for consistency every two
(2) years to ensure compatible roadway networks that demonstrate adequate carrying
capacity for the circulation system, and to detect possible inconsistencies resulting
from General Plan amendments
To aid in establishing consistency among plans, all jurisdictions are encouraged
to use common land use assumptions and travel demand projections. OCTA facilitates
the use of these common assumptions through administration of the Orange County
Transportation Analysis Model (OCTAM).
Measure M
One of the primary sources of grants funds for County road projects is Orange County
Transportation Authority (OCTA) Measure M grants. These funds became available through
an Orange County voter-approved twenty-year ½ cent sales tax, enacted in 1990, to
pay for transportation improvements throughout Orange County. This twenty-year sales
tax was extended for another thirty years, November 2006, through voter approval
of “Renewed” Measure M. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) administers
these transportation funds.
To simplify the administrative burden, OCTA has combined the Measure M grants most
used by the County and cities into one programming process called the Combined Transportation
Funding Program (CTFP). The CTFP program includes: Smart Street, Regional Interchange
Program (RIP), Intersection Improvement Program (IIP), Transportation Demand Management
Program (TDM), Master Plan of Arterial Highways Program (MPAH), Growth Management
Area Program (GMA), Arterial Highway Rehabilitation Program (AHRP), Grade Separation
Projects, and Grade Crossing Safety Enhancements.
The County has been very successful in supplementing its share of gas tax funds
with Measure M CTFP grant funding, allowing the county to implement many of its
roadway improvement projects sooner.
To obtain more information on OCTA’s Measure M and Renewed Measure M programs, please
visit OCTA’s website at www.octa.net
Proposition 1B
Prop. 1B, also passed by California voters in 2006, provides bond funds for road
capital and maintenance projects. The County’s approximate $61.6 million allocation
of Prop. 1B funds will be applied towards transportation improvements within Orange
County as determined by the County’s Board of Supervisors.
For information on the County’s Prop. 1B program, please contact
Joel Samonte
at
(714)
245-4558.
ROAD FINANCE
Road Finance prepares the Road's annual budget to ensure adequate funding for transportation-related
projects is secured, administers the transportation multi-year program and updates
the annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with the assistance of Project Funding.
Road Finance reviews proposed legislation in order to identify any road related
impacts.
Please contact
Debra Lakin
at
(714)
245-4571
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