TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Cash, Public Works Director
1. Subject
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Cooperative Agreement by and between the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and Orange for the State College Boulevard/The City Drive Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Project
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2. Summary
The OCTA Board approved competitive Measure M2 grant funding for an inter-jurisdictional traffic signal enhancement project along the State College Boulevard/City Drive corridor. This Cooperative Agreement establishes the respective responsibilities of each of the four participating agencies. Orange is responsible for 20 percent of project costs within the city limits.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Approve the Cooperative Agreement with the cities of Anaheim, Brea, and Fullerton for the implementation of State College Boulevard/The City Drive Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Project; and authorize the City Manager and City Clerk to execute on behalf of the City.
2. Authorize the appropriation of $200,000 from the Measure M - Traffic Improvement (263) unreserved fund balance to:
263-5704-87101-265105 State College Blvd Traffic Signal Synchronization
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4. Fiscal Impact
The expense for this cooperative agreement is $200,000 and will be funded through Measure M - Traffic Improvement (263):
263-5704-87101-265105 State College Blvd Traffic Signal Synchronization
Upon approval of this appropriation, the estimated Measure M - Traffic Improvement (263) fund balance on June 30, 2026, will be $6,468,215.07.
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 5: Improve infrastructure, mobility, and technology.
6. Discussion and Background
In August 2024, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) issued a call for projects for coordinating traffic signals across multiple jurisdictional boundaries as part of the Renewed Measure M (M2) Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program (referred to as Project P) to enhance countywide traffic flow and reduce congestion.
In response to the call, the City of Anaheim, with the participation of the cities of Orange, Fullerton and Brea, initiated an application and was awarded Measure M2 funds for the synchronization of the traffic signals along the State College Boulevard/The City Drive Corridor. As a requirement of the grant application process, the Orange City Council adopted Resolution No. 11590 in January 2025, which enabled OCTA to allocate funds from the Comprehensive Transportation Funding Programs to this project.
The 11-mile State College Boulevard/The City Drive corridor, between Cliffwood Avenue in the City of Brea and Garden Grove Boulevard in Orange, includes 58 traffic signals across five jurisdictions: Santa Ana, Orange, Brea, Placentia, Caltrans, and Anaheim. Within the City of Orange, the corridor spans approximately one mile along The City Drive and includes seven intersections from Orangewood Avenue to Garden Grove Boulevard. In addition to signal timing changes, the project will include traffic signal equipment and modifications identified in the application. For the City of Orange, equipment upgrades include installation of fiber optic cable, controller and cabinet upgrades, and new video detection systems.
The total project cost is $4,702,863.50. The participating agencies agreed to a combined cash and in-kind (staffing commitments and equipment purchases) match of $940,572.70, representing approximately twenty percent (20%) of the total project cost. The City of Orange has a local match (fair share) of $185,621.20. The proposed $200,000 appropriation is expected to cover our local match and provide for a small contingency.
The attached Cooperative Agreement describes the duties and responsibilities, including funding obligations of all the participating agencies. The City of Anaheim has agreed to act as the implementing agency to carry out project implementation. Participating agencies will be responsible for coordinating the installation of their elements during the course of the project and on-going maintenance and operation after the three-year grant period. When completed, vehicular traffic in a synchronized corridor will often pass through a longer series of green lights before stopping.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 Cooperative Agreement
• Attachment 2 Project Corridor Map
• Attachment 3 Resolution No. 11590