I wish OCTA would be more innovative and put bus-boarding islands along the carpool lanes like Caltrans did along the 110. I really do think Metro's new Silver Line should be a model: dedicate part of the freeway for a real BRT network.

The Centerline: The big problem with it was there was never a real consensus as to where it should go. Even Santa Ana, the most transit dependent city in OC, was batting it from one street to another. Also, was it supposed to be elevated light rail (a deal-killer in may places) or surface (less visually intrusive, but slower)? That was never made clear, at least to me.

Of course the nimbys, from Fullerton through South Coast to Irvine were up in arms and OCTA, with no strong plan, let them have their way.

Better, at least for now, to invest in Metrolink and build up the HOV/express bus network, as was done in the past....

To be honest though, from looking at past proposals for Centerline it was probably going to end up being a piece of shit anyway. I cannot predict the future, or what would've happened in the past, obviously, but I was envisioning a debacle that would make the Sprinter look like high speed rail.

I don't know, just a gut feeling.

The OCTD and Caltrans recent spent billions on recent freeway interchanges and widening and within weeks the traffic levels were back to pre project congestion. This is not the answer to congestion. Now they want to spend billions more for boondoggles like the 605/405/22 interchange which has little congestion even at rush hours. Hasn’t enough money been spent on highways and freeways in Orange County and put that money into moving people efficiently rather than more roads.

Rapid bus services can do wonders for North Orange County. I already take two buses to get to school. It would be an incredible improvement to transfer to a rapid bus instead of another slow local. I think it's something worth fighting for, even here.

Every bus line in the OCTA had to offer a free or discounted shuttle service for people too infirm to make it to the bus stop. These para-transit services built in nearly a 2x increase in cost to have a bus line, and there was no way around them because the OC had no alternative means for people to get to bus stops (i.e. several miles walk, no sidewalks to bus stops).

Their liaison described how in an aging population of home owners were going to be trapped in their McMansions. I don't know how true this has become, but I would hate to have to deal with that expense when running a bus service.

Despite some good intentions in Sacramento, these sorts of long term costs aren't taken into account when developers throw up new tract home subdivisions.

The problem with buses in OC (or any mostly suburban area) is that most people living there drive, so it's easy for them to marginalize the bus network and its riders. Metrolink is helpful, but OCTA (or a private operator) could do so much more with buses on the existing freeway/HOV system, to attract people who don't like local buses to transit.

As for OC transit advocacy: a few years ago, the Southern California Transit Advocates had an "Orange County Committee", which eventually became Transit Advocates of Orange County (TAOC) The main point of this group was to promote the Centerline light-rail project. After Centerline was killed, TAOC became dormant. But with these bus cuts on the horizon, there is talk of reviving TAOC. Stay tuned....

"Why does the OCR write articles about the 91 freeway? Everyone knows that anyone with class does not use that freeway. They fly to Vegas, Palm Springs, and all places east - but never drive."

Hahahaha my God, what is wrong with this county?

How are the OC freeway projects funded anway? Is it a case of, if we don't spend that money on highways, the money is lost? Could the funds being used on those projects be diverted to buses?

There just isn't the advocacy in Orange County there is elsewhere.

Despite the fact that Obama almost carried Orange County, and despite the fact that the middle areas of Orange County (Santa Ana and adjacent areas) have moved leftward to the political center, Orange County is still very much controlled by hardline conservatives.

Many of these conservatives support not the McCain wing of the party, but the Limbaugh wing of the party.

There is a reason why people refer to being "behind the Orange Curtain". The light may be breaking through the opening for the first time in decades, but the curtain is not pulled back by any means.

There are no shortage of anti-transit, anti-immigrant people in Orange County who are vocal. Many of the areas most sympatheic to transit are the least organized.

The best hope for Orange County transit would involve increasing Metrolink service. People interested in better service getting to/from Metrolink stops may lobby for service improvements that have a knock off effect on non-Metrolink riders.

High Speed Rail may ultimately have similar effects.

In the meantime, demographic changes might help. It will be the toughest nut to crack.

Are there Orange County transit advocacy organizations specific to Orange County? If there isn't, perhaps these kinds of cuts might spur the creation of one.

Oh well.

Somehow, automobile entitlement programs are sacrosanct, untouchable, and the holy of holies.

In California, it is the same situation with our prisons: too many scum bags make a living off of this state-run program.

There has to be a way to make the removal of capital-intensive infrastructure (like highways) politically unpopular. I mean, they are politically unpopular to those living next to them, and those who don't use them - but in the halls of power building freeways is priority number one with transportation.