Memo
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Project: First Street Multimodal Corridor Study
To: Mike Arizabal, Senior Transportation Analyst, City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency From: Dawn L. Wilson, PE TE, Project Manager , HDR
Subject: First Street Multimodal Corridor Study Project Overvie w Initiated in May 2025, HDR has been working closely with City of Santa Ana to develop multimodal improvements that address mobility barriers for all users along First Street.
Project extents reach from Bristol Street to Tustin Avenue, approximately 3 miles through downtown, past two schools, passes under the railroad tracks, and crosses through the I-5 interchange. This technical memorandum provides an overview of the project’s progress and the tasks completed through December 2025, which included existing conditions assessment, development of 8 options and refinement to three corridor concepts, technical analysis of the options, and extensive outreach with the public, stakeholders and community groups.
Project Background
The City of Santa Ana's First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study (Study) aims to transform and improve the First Street corridor between Bristol Street and Tustin Avenue (see Figure 1) for all modes of transportation. A multimodal street is one that balances the needs of all users, including people walking, biking, riding transit, and driving–while also functioning as a community space that supports social, economic, and environmental vitality. Boulevards and major streets like First Street play a vital role in cities, not only as conduits for mobility, but as central public spaces shared by residents, visitors, and people of all ages and abilities.
In 2022, the City of Santa Ana (City) updated its General Plan Mobility Element (Mobility Element) and identified First Street as a Pedestrian Opportunity Zone to be reconfigured for multimodal improvements.
Pedestrian Opportunity Zones are defined as an area that supports or should support high levels of pedestrian activity due to its proximity to activity centers, mixed-use development, and transit stops. These zones are intended to foster a walkable and vibrant public realm through improvements such as wider sidewalks, safer crossings, and an enhanced streetscape. Figure 2 shows examples of best street practices for pedestrian facilities.
Vibrant urban boulevards with amenities and storefronts should have a minimum width of 15 feet. Urban streets with trees should have a minimum of 12 feet to still allow for comfortable pedestrian space. Streets with small trees and walking zones should have a minimum of 9 feet.
A walk audit was conducted, along with traffic modeling, origin-destination analysis, and an in-depth assessment of existing pedestrian, bicycle, and transit conditions to establish the
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
2 existing conditions of the First Street corridor. This information in conjunction with the technical multimodal analysis and traffic modeling and community input resulted in the development of three potential concepts that will improve the travel environment on First Street. Ultimately, these three concepts will be reviewed by City Council, and a locally preferred alternative will be selected. The City has funding to advance this alternative into final design and is in the process of securing funding for construction.
Figure 1. Project Corridor
Figure 2. Examples of Best Street Practices for Pedestrian Facilities
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
3 Funding
The project was funded through a REAP 2.0 grant administered by OCTA and SCAG. The grant focuses on improving access for low-income housing through improved pedestrian, bicycle and transit options. While the City did receive a short extension, the grant will expire in December 2026. Additional funding may be needed to complete the design (depending upon the timing and elements of the locally preferred alternative and the limits of the improvements). The City is working closely with OCTA to secure additional funding for construction engineering and construction of the selected improvements.
Goals and Objectives
The goal of this project is as follows:
Improve the travel environment along First Street and connect people to places through a variety of reliable, safe and affordable travel options.
This can be achieved by:
• Prioritizing vulnerable roadway users. The success of implementing improvements should be measured by its ability to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Reducing vehicle speeds and address basic safety.
• Adding trees and landscape to create shade and make the corridor visually appealing. Creating a unified design for the corridor will improve the quality of the travel experience.
• Adding new north-south crossings to improve connectivity across the street. With a limited number of existing controlled crossings, First Street serves as a barrier between communities north and south of the corridor.
• Creating a continuous, high-quality bike network that connects to north-south regional routes. Most bicyclists currently travel on the sidewalk due to safety concerns riding in the street. Providing wider sidewalks to accommodate either a Class 1 multiuse path or Class IV bikeways improves safety for both pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Enhancing and improving transit performance and the rider experience. Provide features such as dedicated lanes or bus priority to improve the efficiency of buses along this highly traveled route.
Existing Conditions
Pedestrians and Bicycles
For this analysis, First Street is grouped into three segments, each with distinct characteristics that coincide with neighborhoods and districts identified in the City’s General Plan. While district boundaries outside the city core are more flexible and may overlap due to shared characteristics such as architectural style, scale, and overall character, the
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
4 introduction of newer large-scale commercial and mixed-use developments is expected to create clearer, more defined boundaries in Santa Ana. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Analysis Technical Memorandum (attached separately) provide a more detailed assessment of the findings presented in this section.
West Bristol Hub: Bristol Street to Main St
• Neighborhoods: Flower Park, Downtown, Pico-Lowell, Heninger Park • Character: Heavily commercial with shopping centers, civic uses, and surface parking
Downtown Historic Center: Main Street to Grand Avenue
• Neighborhoods: Downtown, French Park, Lacy, Logan, Pacific Park • Character: Historic downtown, civic buildings, smaller retail, denser housing, transitions into mixed residential eastward.
East City Gateway: Grand Avenue to Tustin Avenue
• Neighborhoods: Saddleback View, Zoo District, Lyon Street. • Character: Motels, Santa Ana Zoo, mix of offices, high-density residential, freeway edge conditions.
This section summarizes existing pedestrian and bicycle conditions along First Street and its intersection crossings. The analysis uses a customized ranking system based on the Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index (PEQI), typical First/Last Mile evaluation criteria, and Level of Traffic Stress (LTS), with adjustments tailored to the study area. This approach emphasizes the pedestrian experience and provides a more qualitative measure of walkability and bikeability.
Walkability
Bicycle Conditions
• Land Use & Neighborhood
Character
• Streetscape Design (roadway,
traffic speeds, sidewalk,
landscape, & lighting*)
• Pedestrian Access
• Connectivity & Safety
• Intersection Safety
* Lighting is not evaluated but should be studied
further in coordination with the City’s Lighting
Masterplan
• Facility Quality
• Intersection Safety
• Bicycle Network Connectivity
• Level of Traffic Stress (LTS)
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
5 Level of Traffic Stress or LTS is a common measure of bicyclist comfort when traveling along a roadway, with LTS 1 being very comfortable and LTS 4 being highly challenging. Below are descriptions of each LTS category and Photo 6 shows examples of LTS 1 through 3 bicycle facilities:
LTS 1: Strong separation from all but low-speed, low-volume traffic; simple crossings; suitable for children.
LTS 2: Physical separation from higher-speed or multilane traffic; easy crossings; comfortable for most adults, especially the “interested but concerned.” LTS 3: Requires interaction with moderate-speed or multilane traffic, or in close proximity to higher-speed traffic; suitable for “enthused and confident” riders.
LTS 4: Requires interaction with or in close proximity to high-speed traffic; suitable only for “strong and fearless” riders.
Photo 6: Examples of LTS 1 (Left), LTS 2 (Right), LTS 3 (Bottom) Bicycle Facilities
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
6 West Bristol Hub: Bristol Street to Main Street
This segment of First Street combines commercial land uses (small scale retail, shopping centers and surface parking lots) on the east and western edges with high-density housing and schools focused near the center, between Flower Street and Broadway. The street features a landscaped median, mature shade trees, and 7 to 8 feet sidewalks with tree wells, supporting comfortable pedestrian activity. Striped shoulders are present but are below standard in width for a bicycle lane and are not clearly marked. Several cyclists were observed using sidewalks during a site walk to avoid high speed traffic.
Two schools are located on the south side, Santa Ana High School and Martin R. Heninger Elementary School, which also include recreational facilities. Key crossings at Flower and Ross Streets serve students, highlighting the need for safe, well-connected pathways. North- south access would be greatly improved by adding signalized pedestrian crossings along the half-mile stretch between Bristol Street and Flower Street.
Overall, the segment balances commercial, residential, and educational uses while offering potential for improved multimodal connectivity. Figure 3 shows the walkability and bikeability ratings for West Bristol Hub with an example photo of typical conditions.
Figure 3. West Bristol Hub Pedestrian and Bicycle Existing Conditions
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
7 Downtown Historic Center: Main Street to Grand Avenue This segment of First Street defines the southern edge of the City’s designated Downtown Core and Transit Center District. Main Street provides a key connection north to the Downtown Santa Ana Historic District and the new OC Streetcar, which links east to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center. The corridor is characterized by small-scale retail and shopping centers with surface parking lots. A landscaped median and mature shade trees contribute to a consistent streetscape, while sidewalks (7-8 feet wide with tree wells) support a comfortable pedestrian environment. The key exception is the section from Standard Avenue to Grand Avenue, where First Street narrows to four lanes. Figure 4 shows the walkability and bikeability ratings for the Downtown Historic Center with an example photo of the railroad undercrossing where there are four travel lanes.
Challenges emerge in the quarter-mile stretch between Standard Avenue and Grand Avenue, where the Metrolink underpass creates a hostile walking environment with narrow 5-foot sidewalks, no shade, and no buffer from traffic. Bicycle facilities are minimal–aside from a short block between Main Street and Bush Street/Cypress Avenue, there are no designated bike lanes along this segment.
The intersection of First Street and Downtown Plaza is a critical node for pedestrians– serving local residents, families, shoppers, bus riders, and students from the Edward B. Cole Sr. Academy. However, pedestrian safety improvements are needed. Additionally, between Downtown Plaza and Standard Avenue, the corridor has long block lengths without a north- south crossing (approximately half a mile) posing barriers to pedestrian connectivity.
Figure 4. Downtown Historic Center: Main Street to Grand Avenue
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
8 East City Gateway: Grand Avenue to Tustin Avenue
This eastern segment of First Street is a combination of commercial (motels, small scale retail, shopping centers, office buildings and surface parking lots) and mixed-use high- density housing. The corridor is separated by the I-5 freeway with the motels and Santa Ana Zoo to the West and a mixture of office buildings and high-density housing to the east.
Overall, the lack of shade trees, and motel activity make the corridor unfriendly to walk and was rated fair to poor. Figure 5 shows the walkability and bikeability ratings for East City Gateway.
Typical roadway width in this segment is upwards of 85 feet, including both landscaped and paved medians. Via Google Earth images, it appears that there were once shade trees in the median that seem to have been removed. Sidewalk widths range from 9 to 11’ with tree wells, but unless added with new development, the existing mature shade trees are sporadically dispersed throughout the corridor.
While the zoo is a major destination in the area, First Street is not the primary access point and may not see increased traffic during hours of operation. Overall, the lack of shade trees, and motel activity make the corridor unfriendly to walk and was rated fair to poor.
Figure 5. East City Gateway: Grand Avenue to Tustin Avenue
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
9 Overall Corridor Conditions
Pedestrian and bicycle conditions along First Street reveal significant safety and accessibility challenges, with gaps in infrastructure, inconsistent facilities, and environmental factors that collectively create barriers to safe and comfortable travel for all users. The following observations highlight opportunities for improvement in the redesign of First Street.
Street Conditions
• Continuous sidewalk access on both sides of the street. • High frequency of driveways with no clear ADA pathway.
Bicycle Facilities
• No existing bicycle facilities provided.
• Posted speed limits (40-45 mph) have proven fatal for cyclist/vehicle collisions. • Predominance of sidewalk cycling impacts pedestrians. • No bike-protected intersections at key north/south wheel facility connections (Bristol Street, Flower Street, Ross Street, Standard Avenue, Grand Avenue, Tustin Avenue).
• Need connections to other bike routes, safe crossings under Metrolink & over freeway.
Intersections & Controlled Crossings
• Signalized crossings are infrequent (16 traffic signals along the 3-mile corridor) and often located far apart (approximately 1 mile west of Main Street and approximately
0.25 mile east of I-5).
• Long distances between north-south signalized crossings (typically 1/2-mile). • Major intersections with long crossing distances (100–140 feet). • Marked crosswalks are not high-visibility continental type. • Directional curb ramps (single ramp) are unsafe at intersections with large curb radii & high turning speed.
• Dangerous jaywalking near activity hubs with vulnerable populations. • No protected bicycle intersections.
Climate Impact
• Extreme weather threatens people with disabilities.
• Existing tree canopy is inconsistent.
• Limited access to shade & seating.
• Surrounding hardscape, landscape & buildings affect pedestrian comfort.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
10 Transit
OCTA Route 64 runs east-west along First Street, connecting Larwin Square in the City of Tustin to the Westminster Mall in the City of Huntington Beach. Route 64 has local and express stops along First Street.
In addition, OCTA provides multiple north-south bus routes that intersect First Street and provide connectivity across Orange County (OCTA Routes 57, 150/151, 55, 53, 553, 59, 83, and 71). Key transfer points along the corridor include Bristol Street, Flower Street, Main Street, Grand Avenue, and Tustin Avenue.
The Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center is less than half a mile north of the project corridor and serves regional transit services, including Amtrak, Metrolink, OCTA, and Greyhound. The station sits west of the railroad tracks at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Santiago Street. From First Street, several north-south roadways—such as Main Street—provide direct access to Santa Ana Boulevard. Riders can reach the station by taking OCTA Route 64 westbound and transferring to Route 59 northbound at Tustin Avenue.
Ridership
Daily boarding information for Route 64 was provided by OCTA for October 2024, April 2025, and May 2025. Ridership was analyzed for each stop along the project corridor in the eastbound and westbound direction (see Table 1). The highest average boarding across the three time periods occurs at Bristol Street eastbound and Main Street westbound. The busiest stops are on the west side from Bristol Street to Downtown Plaza and at Grand Avenue. Ridership is lower at local stops between Downtown Plaza and Standard Avenue and at Cabrillo Park Drive and Golden Circle Drive.
Bus Stop Amenities
A field check was completed to document the existing amenities at local and express bus stops between Bristol Street and Tustin Avenue. While the amenities at each stop varied, all stops included seating and signage. The provision of bus shelters aligns the busiest stops and is constructed and maintained by the City. Photo 1 shows the bus stop near Bristol Street.
All stops lack dedicated shelter lighting, wayfinding signage, and real-time arrival displays.
Each bus stop has basic route information from OCTA. Most bus stops have a concrete bus pad for boarding, and buses usually stop in the outside travel lane. The only exception is the westbound stop on Flower Street, which includes a dedicated bus turnout, shown in Photo 2.
Individuals experiencing homelessness were observed occupying seats at some locations, leaving other riders to stand.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
11 Table 1. Ridership by Stop
Daily Boardings
Stop Direction Oct-24 Apr-25 May-25
5957-1st-Bristol E 368 327 342
5987-1st-Bristol W 252 223 228
5961-1st-Flower E 114 104 112
5984-1st-Flower W 173 165 165
5962-1st-Ross E 71 65 71
5983-1st-Ross W 135 122 129
5964-1st-Main E 189 187 200
5981-1st-Main W 332 315 324
5965-1st-Maple E 112 104 105
5980-1st-Downtown Plaza W 194 183 191
5966-1st-Hickory E 36 33 32
5978-1st-Lacy W 71 73 79
5967-1st-Cedar E 36 26 24
5976-1st-Standard W 42 38 38
5968-1st-Grand E 62 58 64
5975-1st-Grand W 243 228 225
5974-1st-Lyon W 131 126 129
5970-1st-Cabrillo Park E 9 8 7
5973-1st-Cabrillo Park W 48 44 43
5971-1st-Golden Circle E 37 27 27
5972-1st-Golden Circle W 159 148 142
7152-1st-Tus tin E 33 34 33
7165-1st-Tus tin W 141 140 138
Note: Colors depict the range of boardings from highest to lowest in 50 boarding increments where green = highest number of boardings and red = lowest number of boardings.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
12 Photo 11: Bust Stop near Bristol Street
Photo 22: Bus Turnout at Flower Street
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
13 Traffic Operations
First Street is currently a six-lane divided roadway with a raised median and dedicated turn pockets at intersections. The road has a capacity of 56,300 vehicles per day at LOS E. The threshold for acceptable level of service (LOS D) is 50,600 vehicles per day. Within the study area there are 16 signalized intersections and several unsignalized intersections. The posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour (mph) despite the presence of several school and senior facilities within the study area.
To assess the existing traffic conditions along the corridor, peak hour intersection volumes (vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles) and daily volumes (speed, volume and classification) were collected at locations along the corridor during a typical weekday in March 2025.
Daily Volume Analysis
Daily traffic volumes were collected at eight spot locations along the corridor. Table 2 below summarizes the volume and the existing level of service based on the City’s level of service thresholds for roadway segments.
Table 2. Existing Roadway Segment Level of Service
Segment
Daily Traffic Volume (vehicles per day)
LOS EB WB Total
Baker Street to Shelton Street 20,526 18,862 39,388 B
Parton Street to Ross Street 21,155 19,046 40,201 C
West of Spurgeon Street 20,773 16,490 37,263 B
East of Garfield Street 18,417 15,626 34,043 B
Standard Avenue to Grand Avenue 18,373 14,924 33,297 A
West of Wright Street 18,476 15,598 34,074 B
West of Cabrillo Park Drive 14,451 10,603 25,054 A
Golden Circle Drive to Tustin Avenue 10,373 8,766 19,139 A
As shown, all of the segments currently operate at LOS C or better. To understand the peaking characteristics along the corridor, the daily volumes at the locations with highest volume (Parton Street to Ross Street) and lowest volume (Golden Circle Drive to Tustin Avenue) were evaluated on an hourly basis. Figure 6 illustrates the volumes over a 24-hour period, which shows at both the highest and lowest volume locations there are similar peaking characteristics, which occur in the AM (7:00 to 9:00AM) and in the PM (3:30 – 5:30PM).
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
14 Figure 6. Distribution of Volume Across a 24-Hour Period
Traffic Speeds
The posted speed limit along First Street is primarily 40mph in each direction. Table 3 shows the 85th percentile or prevailing speed along the corridor . As shown, the 85th percentile is generally within 5 mph of the posted speed limit.
Table 3. 85th Percentile Speeds by Study Segment
Segment
85th Percentile Speed (miles per
hour)
Vehicles Per
Day Traveling
Over 40 mph
(% of ADT) EB WB Total
Baker Street to Shelton Street 41 40 40 5,899 (15%)
Parton Street to Ross Street 41 41 41 7,158 (18%)
West of Spurgeon Street 37 35 36 2,087 (6%)
East of Garfield Street 42 44 43 8,687 (26%)
Standard Avenue to Grand Avenue 42 40 41 6,017 (18%)
West of Wright Street 43 42 43 8,160 (24%)
West of Cabrillo Park Drive 40 38 39 2,754 (11%)
Golden Circle Drive to Tustin
Avenue
42 40 41 3,525 (18%)
While the 85th percentile speeds are within a reasonable range of the posted speed limit, many vehicles were recorded traveling at or above the posted 40 mph speed limit. These excessive speeds tend to occur outside of the peak hours when the volume on the roadway is well below capacity. The lack of traffic and friction that is caused by the proximity of vehicles close to one another results in drivers traveling faster than the posted speed limit – even when they are not aware they are doing so.
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City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
15 The section east of Garfield (between Garfield Street and Standard Avenue) experienced the highest percentage of daily traffic traveling at a speed greater than 40mph at 8,687 vehicles per day or 26% of the daily traffic on the segment.
Why is this important? Figure 7 illustrates the probability of fatality in a pedestrian- vehicle crash based on vehicle speeds . The curves represent different age ranges . According to data collected by the Automobile Club of A merica (AAA) and illustrated by ProPublica in an interactive graph, a 70-year-old person has a 70% chance of being killed by a vehicle traveling at 40mph. While young adults have a higher chance of surviving a crash at 40mph, the probability of fatality increases exponentially as speeds increase with the chance of any pedestrian surviving being struck by a vehicle moving at 60mph of less than 10%. Identifying solutions to reduce the traffic speeds of these high- speed vehicles will significantly improve safety and reduce both severe injury crashes and fatalities .
Figure 7. Fatality Rates as a Function of Traffic Speed
Source: “Impact Speed and a Pedestrian’s Risk of Severe Injury or Death”, Brian Tefft (1998) – AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
16 Intersection Analysis
Daily traffic volume and speed are two metrics by which to analyze the existing traffic along the corridor and provide the travel patterns throughout the day. Intersections and travel time are two other key metrics that focus on the traffic during the peak four hours of the day – 7:00 to 9:00AM and 4:00 to 6:00PM.
Two models were used to understand the existing traffic conditions along the corridor . The City recently updated their Synchro model to update the signal timing along First Street. This model was used to evaluate the intersection LOS using the Highway Capacity Manual methodology for urban signalized intersections. This method evaluates the intersection operating conditions in isolation using the signal timing and volumes collected for the corridor . Table 4 summarizes the results of the intersection analysis using Synchro.
Table 4. Existing Condition Synchro HCM Results
# INTERSECTION AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
Delay
(s) LOS Delay
(s) LOS
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 49.3 D 55.0 D
6 1s t St. at Flower St. 35.4 D 37.8 D
8 1s t St. at Ross St. 16.3 B 11.3 B
10 1s t St. at Broadway 29.7 C 31.6 C
11 1s t St. at Sycamore St. 4.2 A 5.4 A
12 1s t St. at Main St. 43.8 D 36.2 D
13 1s t St. at Bus h St. 6.4 A 7.6 A
14 1s t St. at DT Plaza 14.9 B 28.5 C
21 1s t St. at Standard Ave. 33.3 C 26.0 C
22 1s t St. at Grand Ave. 40.9 D 39.2 D
25 1s t St. at Lyon St. 24.0 C 16.0 B
26 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 28.0 C 32.3 C
27 1s t St. at I-5 SB 6.1 A 28.9 C
28 1s t St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 19.3 B 22.0 C
29 1s t St. at Golden Circle Dr. 19.6 B 14.3 B
30 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 21.6 C 26.1 C
The analysis shows that all intersections along the corridor operate at LOS D or better during the peak hours. The greatest level of congestion is reported from Grand Avenue to Zoo Lane approaching the I-5 southbound freeway ramps.
The second model used to assess the operating conditions along the corridor is a microsimulation model VISSIM. This tool simulates vehicle travel along the corridor based on driver behavior assumptions. Where as Synchro looks at the volume at each intersection,
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
17 VISSIM looks at each vehicle as is travels along the network. This allows for more accurate operational analysis and travel time modeling by travel model (passenger vehicle versus bus for example).
In order to accurately assess traffic conditions using VISSIM, multiple model runs are conducted, and the results are averaged. The model is then compared to existing conditions and calibrated until the delay and travel time accurately reflects the analyzed and observed conditions. Table 5 reports the intersection delay using VISSIM for each of the study intersections.
Table 5. Existing Condition VISSIM Results
# INTERSECTION AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
Delay
(s) LOS Delay
(s) LOS
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 41.2 D 42.3 D
6 1s t St. at Flower St. 32.6 C 33.3 C
8 1s t St. at Ross St. 10.7 B 6.8 A
10 1s t St. at Broadway 30.5 C 34.3 C
11 1s t St. at Sycamore St. 10.0 A 10.8 B
12 1s t St. at Main St. 30.6 C 30.4 C
13 1s t St. at Bus h St. 8.2 A 11.7 B
14 1s t St. at DT Plaza 13.3 B 22.5 C
21 1s t St. at Standard Ave. 32.0 C 22.5 C
22 1s t St. at Grand Ave. 36.6 D 46.4 D
25 1s t St. at Lyon St. 59.5 E 49.2 D
26 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 40.3 D 48.2 D
27 1s t St. at I-5 SB 8.1 A 5.5 A
28 1s t St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 15.2 B 17.9 B
29 1s t St. at Golden Circle Dr. 14.4 B 10.3 B
30 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 24.0 C 27.4 C
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
18 Travel Time
While traffic counts were collected in March 2025, travel time data was also collected that was then used to calibrate and validate the existing VISSIM model. Table 6 summarizes the travel times collected in the field using the floating car method and the VISSIM calibrated travel times.
Table 6. Existing and Calibrated VISSIM AM and PM Peak Hour Travel Times # START LOCATION END LOCATION
AM TRAVEL TIME
Field
(mm:ss)
Vissim
(mm:ss)
1ST STREET EASTBOUND
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 11:06 8:02 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:04 01:15 Eastbound Total 12:10 09:17
1ST STREET WESTBOUND
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 01:28 01:45 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 06:22 06:49 Westbound Total 07:50 08:34
# START LOCATION END LOCATION
PM TRAVEL TIME
Field
(mm:ss)
Vissim
(mm:ss)
1ST STREET EASTBOUND
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 08:32 08:03 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:10 01:13 Eastbound Total 09:42 09:16
1ST STREET WESTBOUND
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 00:58 01:26 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 10:02 06:56 Westbound Total 11:00 08:22
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
19 Safety Assessment
The posted speed limit along First Street is 40 miles per hour, but field observations and crash data indicate that speeding is a persistent issue throughout the corridor. This behavior significantly contributes to safety concerns, particularly for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Over the past eight years, approximately 25% of all reported collisions were attributed to unsafe speed as a primary contributing factor. These speed- related crashes tend to be more severe, often resulting in serious injuries or fatalities. The combination of high travel speeds with limited physical separation between vehicles and pedestrians, and long crossing distances at intersections, creates a hazardous environment that demands targeted traffic calming and safety interventions.
Existing available crash data was used to identify potential safety concerns or historic trends.
Crash data for the most recent 8-year period (2017-2024) was obtained from the California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) crash database then ‘scrubbed’ to address inconsistencies in how the data was logged.
Table 7 summarizes the results of the crash analysis including the severity, crash type and crash factor. Of the 479 crashes reported over the eight-year period, 28 resulted in a fatality or severe injury. The majority of the crashes report were either broadside or rear end.
Common causes of broadside crashes include:
• Running red lights or stop signs.
• Failure to yield right of way, particularly at uncontrolled or side street-controlled intersections.
• Distracted driving
• Speeding and/or aggressive driving
Common causes of rear end collisions include:
• Distracted driving
• Tailgating or aggressive driving
• Speeding
• Heavy traffic
Most crashes reported were a result of unsafe speed or right of way violations, which align with the crash types. Evaluating traffic patterns at the side street stop-controlled intersections, narrowing the roadway to reduce crossing and turning distance, physical improvements to reduce speeds and enforcement are potential measures to offset the current crash trends and patterns along First Street.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
20 Table 7. Crash Data Summary
The most vulnerable users along First Street
are those on foot, on bike, rolling or strolling
along the sidewalks and crossing across the
corridor. Of the 479 traffic collisions recorded
along First Street, 12% involved pedestrians
(56 collisions) and 11% involved bicycles (52
collisions), summarized in Figure 8.
According to the Federal Highway
Administration, the average crash rate for
pedestrians and bicycles along similar
corridors is approximately 4 to 5%, indicating
that the frequency of pedestrian and bicycle
crashes is higher than a typical six-lane corridor.
Figure 8. Pedestrian and Bicycle
Involved Reported Crashes
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
21 General Traffic Conditions
Based on the existing conditions analysis, the following general conditions exist along First Street:
• Daily traffic volumes along most of the corridor fall below the LOS D threshold for a six-lane arterial.
• Eastbound volumes are higher than westbound volumes on all segments for both peak periods.
• All study intersections operate at LOS D or better.
• The highest congestion occurs eastbound between Grand Avene and Zoo Lane (approaching the I-5 freeway southbound ramp)
• Speeds are at or near the posted speed limit during the peak hour. Outside of the peak hour, speeds tend to increase with a greater occurrence of speeds 10 mph or more above the posted speed limit.
• Crash data indicates that speed and right-of-way issues along the corridor account for approximately half of the crashes reported over an eight-year period. Rear-end crashes and broadside crashes are the most common types of crashes, which align with the causes identified.
• Pedestrian and bicycle involved crashes make up approximately 23% of all crashes reported indicating a higher than average crash rate for the most vulnerable users.
Equity Assessment
This section summarizes key equity findings from the demographics, transportation, and land use analyses within the study area and identify disparities in access and/or barriers to quality of life parity experienced by marginalized communities, compared to more resourced, abled, and affluent neighbors and communities. Key data sources for this analysis include Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the United States Census Bureau.
Marginalized Groups and Vulnerable Road Users
Marginalized groups and vulnerable road users are among those at risk of being most adversely impacted by changes to infrastructure and operations of a public right-of-way. This risk is due to these populations being less likely to have additional mobility options, less likely to be included in public decision-making, and more likely to have other existing barriers and challenges to accessing resources or navigating changes to the local environment.
The Equity Study prepared determined that the study area has a proportionately higher poverty rate than the City and Orange County as a whole, and especially high rates of seniors living in poverty, especially on the northwest side of the corridor (refer to Figure 9). This area of the study also overlaps with proportionally higher populations of residents that speak an Asian/Pacific Island language (likely Vietnamese) and English “less than well.” The corridor study area also has proportionally higher populations of residents that speak Spanish as well as English “less than well” than other parts of the City and Orange County as a whole, primarily on the south side of the First Street corridor (refer to Figure 10). Over 40% of the City’s residents identify as immigrants, and the study area reflects this trend. Notably, more than half of residents in Census block groups north of First Street identify as immigrants. These demographics demonstrate significant populations that are likely to have fewer mobility options and fewer opportunities to be civically engaged (in transportation investment decisions, for example) in a welcoming language or format compared to other residents in the City.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
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22 Figure 9 . Poverty Rates within First Street Equity Study Area
Figure 10. Map of Hispanic/Latinx Residents that Speak English Less than “Well”
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23 The City has a high proportion of renters, compared to Orange County, and the study area has an even higher proportion, over half of whom are cost-burdened by their housing costs (refer to Figure 11). This demonstrates a majority of study area residents that live in housing insecurity due to a high proportion of their income devoted to housing, which increases risk of defaulting on rent payments and potential eviction.
Figure 1 1. Renter Households within First Street Equity Study Area
The Origin-Destination Analysis conducted for the two-mile area around the corridor shows that the highest origin-destination pairs for people living within a half mile of the corridor also had notably high proportions of people walking, ranging from 24-38% of all travel modes. Further, trips from resident originating near the cluster of seniors living in poverty on the north side of the corridor and ending in the downtown civic center area had a relatively high proportion of transit trips (5%), although these areas are less than a half mile from each other. These travel patterns show that there are very high percentages of people walking to destinations near and on the corridor, as well as higher rates of people taking transit near senior housing. This demonstrates a vulnerable road user presence in and around the corridor that may benefit greatly from safe, accessible, and comfortable mobility options.
Considerations for Community Engagement and Multimodal Concept Development These demographics, land uses, and road user findings overall provide important context for the advancement of the First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study.
The prevalence of marginalized demographics and vulnerable road users inform project approaches to community engagement, such as targeted outreach to include community members that are older and/or have limited safe and accessible mobility options, speak languages other than English, are more likely to experience housing insecurity, and are more likely to walk or take transit. Members of these key study demographics are typically not centered in traditional outreach methods but are likely to be disproportionately impacted by not having their needs considered in street design and operations, as they are likely to have fewer resources and alternatives to adapt to environmental changes. Figure 12 illustrates the relationship between residents over Age 65 and the poverty rate within the area.
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24 Figure 1 2. Residents Over Age 65 and Poverty Rate within Equity Study Area
Considerations for multimodal concept development include recognizing specific access needs for people walking/rolling, education and intuitive design for new street configurations, and focusing improvements on traffic safety and reduction of conflicts between different travel modes, especially vehicles and pedestrians. Examples of these considerations may include any placement of a new bi-directional bicycle facility or shared- use path on the southern side of the corridor, where there is less concentration of senior housing developments, or identifying controlled mid-block crossing locations that can better facilitate vulnerable road users access to transit. Another consideration is for providing longer crossing times for slower moving members of the community including the elderly, disabled and young children.
Built Environment and Exposure to Harm
This section summarizes key points of findings from this memorandum that focus on the existing conditions, built environment, and exposure to harm, specifically for marginalized and vulnerable populations. The corridor study area has a presence of community assets (grocery stores/farmers market, community centers, hospitals, libraries) that serve and are open to the public, but little green or open space. This showed that while there may be important resources, such as access to fresh food and health services, there may be inconsistent access to these resources for community members in the study area based on insurance coverage and food insecurity rates, as well as limited existing opportunities for physical activity.
Most of the formal employment opportunities in the study area are within the civic or health and manufacturing sectors (refer to Figure 13). Additionally, preliminary findings show that one in three workers are in a blue-collar sector, with over one in four in the service sector. This may demonstrate a relatively steady commute demand throughout a 24-hour period that includes traditional 9 AM to 5 PM hours, as well as late night or early morning shifts.
As described above, a robust informal economy of street vendors has been observed along the corridor. In the observational survey, conducted over a period of four days, the consultant team observed 30 vendors, slightly more than half serving food. In line with SB 946 and the City’s and County’s regulatory framework and given the placement of many street vendors along the
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25 sidewalk infrastructure, the study will assess sidewalk design and dimension needs that balance the use of space by permitted vendors and people walking and rolling.
The study area shows some cleanup sites along and near the corridor (refer to Figure 14), as well as higher Disadvantaged Communities rankings, which measure environmental pollution exposure and social vulnerability, around the east side of the corridor, just west of the I-5 freeway and near several cleanup sites. Given preliminary level of service assessment findings of vehicle congestion around this part of the corridor, this may reflect the value of shifting travel modes away from single occupancy driving to reduce vehicle miles traveled and emissions.
Figure 1 3. Major Employers and Employment Hubs Near First Street
Figure 1 4. Identified Hazardous and Clean Up Site
Source: Department of Toxic Substances Control (2025)
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26 Community Engagement
Community engagement is a key component of identifying barriers to mobility along First Street. Beginning in June 2025 and wrapping up in December 2025, the outreach strategy reached over 900 participants, summarized in Figure 15.
In order to achieve balanced input throughout this process, a multi-tiered outreach strategy was conducted, which included:
• Broad community outreach
through workshops, pop up
events and targeted small
group meetings.
• Stakeholder engagement with
both city and government
officials as well as active
organizations in the
community
• Community working group
meetings with community-
based organizations who
assisted with driving
participation at the community
events and bringing
awareness to the project.
• Presentations to
Neighborhood Associations
along the corridor.
Information at key points in the project was disseminated through workshops and then shared with the community through on-line surveys, pop up events, videos, and presentations at stakeholder, community working group and neighborhood association meetings. The timeline for sharing information about the project is summarized in Figure 16.
In this section, the results of Workshop 1 are summarized. Input from the community from Workshop 2 and Workshop 3 are summarized in the Options and Concepts sections of this technical memorandum as the results align with preference surveys and input collected related during those phases of the project.
Figure 15: Multi-tiered Outreach Strategy
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27 Figure 16. Community Engagement Timeline
Workshop 1: Barriers to Mobility
The first set of workshops and outreach events provided an opportunity to introduce the First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study and gather community input on making First Street a healthier and safer experience for all residents who utilize the corridor.
The goals of the workshops were to encourage participants to connect with the Project Team, share experiences traveling along First Street, suggest improvements to access and travel options, and learn more about the project.
To provide multiple opportunities to learn about the project and provide feedback, the Project Team hosted one in-person workshop (Tuesday, August 26, 2025), one virtual workshop (Wednesday, August 27, 2025), conducted an on-line survey, and attended multiple in- person pop-up events in the community. A total of 40 people attended the two workshops and over 60 people were engaged during the Chicano Heritage Festival. Photos 3 through 5 on the following pages illustrate activities at both the pop-up event and at the in-person workshop.
Feedback received during the in-person and pop-up events regarding improvements the public would like to see along First Street indicated protected, off street bicycle facilities; wider sidewalks and mid-block crossings for pedestrians; improved transit stops with real- time bus information; and shade with places to sit along the corridor were amongst the top priorities for those who participated in the preference survey. Figures 17 to 19 summarize the results of the survey.
For the virtual meeting and through the on-line poll, participants were asked to share information about their travel experience and their travel barriers. Results of the on-line surveys are summarized below in Figure 20.
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28 Photo 33: Chicano Heritage Festival Booth
Photo 44: Preference Survey Boards from Workshop and Pop-Up Events
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29 Photo 55: Workshop 1 Activities
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30 Figure 17. Bicycle Improvements Preferences
Figure 18. Pedestrian Improvements Preferences
Figure 19. Safety Improvement Preferences
21%
12%
5%
4%
8%10%
21%
6%
13%
Off-street bike path or shared-use trail
Protected or separated bikeway
Bike lane
Bike lane with painted buffer
Shared transit/bike lane
Bike-friendly intersection
Protected intersection for bicyclists
Bike repair station
Bike parking
8%
14%
12%
22%
4%
9%
15%
16%
Wide/extended sidewalks
Mid-block crossing with signals
Sidewalk lighting
Shade Trees
Wayfinding and signage
Street furniture/places to sit
Bus stop improvements and amenities
Real-time bus information
11%
5%
4%
5%
29%
46%
Curb ramps
High visibility crosswalks
Sidewalk repair or replacement
Landscaping and medians
Street Lighting
Raised Medians
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31 Figure 20. Summary of On-Line Survey
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32 Options Development and Workshop 2
The development of potential multimodal improvements along the corridor began with the development of options. A total of eight options were developed that integrated a variety of pedestrian, bicycle, transit and vehicular features within the existing 100’ to 104’ right of way available along the corridor. The options were presented at Workshop 2.
Each of the options are presented on the following pages. Table 8 below summarizes and compares the features of each option considered.
Table 8. Summary of Options Presented at Workshop 2
Option
Roadway
Features
Pedestrian
Features
Bicycle
Features
Transit
Features
Number of Lanes
Curb to Curb Width (ft)
Shared Pedestrian-
Bicycle Path
Dedicated Sidewalk
Shared Pedestrian-
Bicycle Path
Bi-Directional Bikeway
Directional Bikeway
Buffered Bicycle Lanes
Share Bus/Vehicle
Shared Bus / Bicycle
Dedicated Bus
Existing Conditions
6 Lanes with Sidewalk 6 83’ B EB &
WB
6 Lane Option
Option 1
6 Lanes with Multi-use Path 6 76’ S N S EB &
WB
4 Lane Options
Option 2
4 Lanes with Bike Lanes & Path 4 74’ S N B EB &
WB
Option 3
4 Lanes with Directional
Bikeway
4 58’ B B EB &
WB
5 Lane Option
Option 4
5 Lanes with Directional
Bikeway
5 62’ B B EB &
WB
Option 5
5 Lanes with Bi-Directional
Bikeway
5 66’ B N EB &
WB
Bus Lane Options
Option 6
4 Lanes with Bike Lane & Bus
Lane
4 86’ B B EB &
WB
Option 7
4 Lanes with Shared Bike/Bus
Lane
4 78’ B EB &
WB
Option 8
5 Lanes with WB Bus Lane &
Directional Bikeway
5 78’ B WB
Note: N = North side of the Street, S = South side of the street, B = Both sides of the street, WB = Westbound, EB = Eastbound
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41 Workshop 2 Input
The in-person workshop was held over two consecutive days (September 17 and 18 from 5:00 to 7:00PM) as an open house style with Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters on hand to assist participants. A series of stations were set up to help participants navigate the eight options being presented (refer to Photo 7). The stations included “Existing Conditions”, “Design Options”, “Aerial Maps”, “Curb Space and Bus Stops”, and “Railroad Tracks Configuration” as well as a welcome table and a family table. Workshop participants were encouraged to provide feedback on potential design options for the corridor, connect with the Project Team, suggest improvements to access and travel options, and learn more about the next stages of the project.
A total of 69 attendees signed in at the workshop over the course of the two days and 30 comment cards were collected. Participants were encouraged to participate in a preference activity where they placed pom-pom balls in containers that represent the options that they liked. While three pom-pom balls were provided to each participant, additional balls were provided if requested.
The preference activity (pom-pom balls) revealed a strong preference for bus lanes. Figures 21 and 22 below break down the results of the preference survey by lane configuration and by pedestrian and bicycle zone configuration.
Figure 21. Percent of Responses Related to Number of Lanes by Option
Figure 22. Percent of Responses Related to Pedestrian and Bicycle Zone Configuration
15%
12%
24%
36%
13% Six Lanes
Four Lanes
Five Lanes
Four + Bus
Five + Bus
15%
5%
63%
11%
6% Multi Use Trail
Multi Use Trail + Bike Lanes
Sidewalk + Directional Bikeway
Sidewalk + Bi-Directional Bikeway
Shared Bus - Bike Lane
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42 The following is a summary of comments received:
• Like the smooth connectivity of buses, bikes and cars in Option 6 • Consider bicycle parking
• Protected bike lanes are a must
• Take bicycles off the sidewalk; put bikes on the street • Prefer bicycles at sidewalk level, not in a bus lane
• Like the separated bicycle lane on both sides of the street • Consider at grade bus boarding at bus stops
• Maintain ADA access at all bus stops for wheelchair users • Need traffic calming at all intersections
• Reduce crossing distance for pedestrians and shorten distance between crosswalks across First Street
• Add a crosswalk at the First Street and Halladay intersection • Add a crosswalk at Hickory intersection
• Need additional street lighting between Standard and Spurgeon • Like the trees or landscape separating bicycles and pedestrians • Homeless take up the bus stops and benches – creates safety concerns walking or taking the bus
• Homeless walking and biking on First Street cause hazards. Address the issue before adding bicycle facilities
• Keep the six lanes – traffic piles up
• If there is a bus lane, make sure it is shared with traffic • Consider a center running bus lane and move the bicycles to Chestnut or parallel streets
• Eastbound from Standard (or DMV) to Zoo Lane traffic backs up especially in the morning
• Opposed to removing lanes, adding bicycle lanes or crosswalks. Keep traffic moving • Don’t start construction until Bristol Street is complete
Photo 6: Participants Engaging in Interactive Stations and Preference Survey
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43 Concept Development
Based on feedback from the community, technical analysis and field assessments, three Concepts were developed for the corridor. Conceptual layouts in plan view, illustrative renderings and cross sections were developed to illustrate the components of the design concepts that were then shared with the public during Workshop 3.
Technical analysis, including traffic modeling and pedestrian / bicycle analysis, was conducted to assess the benefits of each alternative compared to the existing conditions.
In response to the existing conditions assessment and concerns about safety and pedestrian access, the following features were integrated into all the concepts presented:
• New
Mid-Block Crossings – These four
crossings are proposed at Shelton Street, Booth Street, west of Wright Street and between Golden Circle Drive and Tustin Avenue. Each location would be equipped with a HAWK signal, high visibility markings and signage and a paved area in the median as a refuge island, as shown in Figure 23. With these crossings, the average distance between controlled crossings is approximately 0.25 miles and a controlled crossing is located at or near an existing bus stop.
• Tighter Curb Radius – Most existing curb radii are 35’ with some larger such as at the I-5 southbound ramps. For all City intersections, the curb radius is tightened to 25’, which slows the turning speed of vehicles and improves safety for pedestrians. • High Visibility Crosswalks – At all signalized intersections and on STOP controlled side streets, high visibility bicycle crossing and crosswalks are recommended.
Continental style with high retro reflectivity is recommended for maximum visibility at night. Crosswalks near school zones should be evaluated for yellow markings and signage.
Figure 23. New Controlled Crossing at
Shelton Street
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44 • Improved Street lighting – This includes evaluating the corridor to ensure minimum lighting requirements are met and adding pedestrian scale lighting within the pedestrian and bicycle zone.
• Transit Signal Priority – Adding technology to the buses and to the traffic signal to help bus on-time performance is critical to improving access to transit. The City will work with OCTA to identify the appropriate technology and implementation strategies.
• Improved Landscape and Streetscape for the Corridor – Street trees, low level landscape, drainage swales and other treatments will be integrated to help reduce the heat envelope along the corridor and to capture urban run-off. Additional places to rest and improved bus stops are also key to the overall corridor design. Creating a uniform plant palette and furniture design will create a cohesive feel and character along the corridor. Potential plant options, consistent with the City’s design guidelines, are presented in Figure 24.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
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45 Figure 24. Potential Street
Tree Options for First
Street
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46 West Side and East Side Concepts
Due to planned projects along First Street, the corridor was divided into a west side and an east side when developing concepts. The west side extends from Bristol Street to Zoo Lane, which aligns with the Caltrans right-of-way. The east side extends from Zoo Lane over the I- 5 freeway to Tustin Avenue.
Caltrans has developed concept plans for First Street as part of the Freeway Ramp Active Mobility Enhancement Study (FRAMES), illustrated in Figure 25. Concepts illustrated in this technical memorandum reflect the recommendations in that report. However, the City is currently working with Caltrans to identify alternative solutions that align with the concepts for the west side of the corridor. Modifications to this section may be proposed based on the ongoing coordination with Caltrans and the locally preferred alternative for this project.
Figure 25. Recommendations in Caltrans FRAMES
Source: Caltrans, February 2024. Freew ay Ramp Active Mobility Enhancement Study (FRAMES).
Based on traffic volumes for the existing and future conditions east of I-5, the concept developed for the east side of the corridor assumes the four-lane condition. Narrowing the road to widen the sidewalks builds upon the Public Realm Plan for this area by extending the curb to construct 17’ to 20’ wide pedestrian zones. This allows additional improvements within the pedestrian and bicycle zones as described later in this section and is consistent with the City’s Metro East Mixed-Use Overlay Zone.
A complete set of conceptual layouts for the three West Side and the one East Side concept is provided as an attachment to this technical memorandum.
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47 West Side Design Concepts
Multi-Use Path Concept
This concept includes a multi-use path on the south side of First Street. This space is shared by pedestrians and bicyclists and is approximately 14’ wide. This area would narrow to 10’ near trees, light posts, utilities and bus stops. Distinct colors or textures on the pavement could be used to help delineate areas for pedestrians and bicycles within this space; however, there would be no physical separation between those who are walking or rolling and those on a bicycle. On the north side of the street, a sidewalk would be provided for pedestrians. As such, the bicyclists would be permitted only on the south side of the street.
Illustrations of this concept are provided in Figure 26.
This concept provides six travel lanes and left turn pockets at intersections, consistent with existing conditions. To provide additional space on the south side of the street for the multi- use trail, existing lane widths are narrowed to 11’ and the center median is narrowed to 12’.
Figure 26. Illustrations of the Multi-Use Path Concept
.
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48 Enhanced Pedestrian and Bicycle Zone Concept
This concept includes directional Class IV bikeways on each side of First Street (north and south side) as well as a dedicated sidewalk. With 17’ feet within the pedestrian zone, there is sufficient space to construct a physical barrier such as a plantable strip between the bikeway and the sidewalk and provide trees along the curbline. Distinct color or texture on the pavement could also be used to help delineate areas for pedestrians and bicycles. At 66’ feet wide curb to curb, this concept is the narrowest of the three concepts developed.
Illustrations of this concept are provided in Figure 27.
This concept provides five travel lanes and left turn pockets at intersections. As shown in the existing conditions section of this technical memorandum, the traffic volume in the eastbound direction is higher than in the westbound direction in each peak hour as well as over a 24-hour period. Therefore, this option removes one travel lane in the westbound direction to provide the space within the pedestrian zone. Lane widths in this option are 10 to 11’ wide and the median is 12’ wide.
Figure 27. Illustrations of the Enhanced Pedestrian and Bicycle Concept
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49 Bus Lanes and Bikeway Concept
This concept includes directional Class IV bikeways on each side of First Street (north and south side) as well as a dedicated sidewalk. With 12’ feet within the pedestrian zone, a 6’ bikeway and a 6’ sidewalk can be delineated. Bicycles would travel closest to the roadway and would need to weave around bus stops, trees or other landscape areas and utilities such as streetlight poles. Where these obstructions occur in the bikeway, the bicycles would merge with the pedestrians in a shared 10’ to 13’ space. This may create a sort of meandering bikeway visually but will require careful navigation through these shared areas.
Distinct color or textures on the pavement should be used to help delineate areas for pedestrians and bicycles. Figure 28 illustrates the features of the Bus Lane and Bikeway Concept.
This concept provides four travel lanes, two bus only lanes and left turn pockets at intersections. As discussed in the existing conditions section of this report, Route 64 is one of the highest traveled routes in Orange County and experiences over 2,900 boardings and alighting each day within the study area.
Figure 28. Bus Lane and Bikeway Concept
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50 Providing a bus lane provides benefits to vehicular traffic and buses. Vehicles may enter the bus lane to make a right turn at intersections.
This moves the decelerating vehicles into the bus lane and reduces the potential for rear end crashes. With buses in a dedicated lane, there would be no queuing of vehicles behind buses at bus stops. Vehicles maneuvering around stopped buses is also a potential cause of rear-end and sideswipe crashes that would be reduced with this option. Bus on-time performance and delay would also improve. Coupled with bus priority, travel time for buses along the corridor are forecast to improve significantly. This City has discussed with OCTA options to increase frequency of bus service along the route if dedicated. Additional discussion and analysis are needed to determine if expanded or more frequent service is possible.
East Side Design Concepts
From Cabrillo Park Drive to Tustin Avenue, the City will be constructing new medians and buffered bicycle lanes. This project will also reduce First Street from six lanes to four lanes.
While this will improve the bicycle amenities on this portion of the corridor compared to existing conditions, feedback during community outreach meetings suggests that bicyclists would prefer to be at sidewalk level as opposed to street level. Figure 29 provides the cross section and the pedestrian and bicycle zone illustrations.
Figure 29. East Side Illustrations
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51 Therefore, a four-lane concept was developed that provides for 17 to 20’ pedestrian and bicycle zones, four travel lanes and a raised median. With these improvements, the median constructed by the City would remain in place the curbs on the north and south sides of the street would be moved to the edge of the buffered bicycle lanes thereby bringing the bicycles to sidewalk level. This would allow for directional bikeways on each side of the street, physically separated from the sidewalk by a low planting strip or other edge treatment.
Traffic Analysis
The VISSIM microsimulation model was used to forecast the intersection delay and travel time along the corridor for each of the three design concepts on the west side of the corridor in the AM and in the PM peak period. Two study years were evaluated – Project Opening Year (2028) and Project Design Year (2048). Future year volumes were determined by applying a growth rate to existing conditions traffic volumes. The growth rate of 0.6% per year was determined using the OCTA OCTAM model.
Tables 9 and 10 summarize the results of the level of service from Bristol Street to the I-5 SB Freeway Ramps in the AM and PM Peak Period for the No Build (maintain existing roadway lanes, intersection configuration and signal timing) and for each of the three concepts presented (Multi-Use Path Concept, Enhanced Pedestrian and Bicycle Concept and Bus Lane/Bikeway Concept) for the west side of the corridor for the Opening Year and Design Year. Turn pocket lengths, signal timing and intersection configurations in addition to the modification to the number of lanes were modified in the VISSIM network for each of the concepts presented.
Since only one concept was developed for the east side (I-5 SB Ramps to Tustin Avenue), Tables 11 and 12 summarize the intersection LOS for the Opening Year and Design Year.
The City has approved a new traffic signal at the intersection of First Street and Lacy Street.
Currently this intersection is side-street stop controlled. As the signal is fully funded and currently in the final design stage, this new traffic signal has been added to all study scenarios, including the No Build condition.
West Side Opening Year Conditions
As shown in the tables on the following page, most intersections operate at LOS D or better under all study scenarios by year 2028 in the AM Peak Period. The exceptions to this are the intersections at Bristol Street and Flower Street under the Bus Lane / Bike Lane option. It should be noted that under the No Build condition, Lyon Street is forecast to operate at LOS F. Signal timing and geometric improvements in the three Options address queuing issues at Lyon Street that improve the delays and queues.
In the PM Peak, most intersections continue to operate at acceptable LOS D or better.
However, the intersections at Bristol Street, Flower Street, Downtown Plaza, Grand Avenue and Lyon Street are all forecast to operate at LOS E or F under for at least one concept in either the AM or the PM per period. Lyon Street experiences the greatest increase in delays.
This is largely due to the reduction in right turn lanes onto the I-5 freeway southbound from one shared right-through and one dedicated right turn lane to a single right turn lane.
Additional analysis is being conducted at all these intersections to determine geometric modifications and signal timing improvements to determine if delay can be improved to an acceptable range.
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52 West Side Design Year
For all study scenarios, the future year volumes are based on an average growth rate of
0.6% per year applied to the existing ground count traffic volumes, which suggest no changes in traffic patterns over the next 22 years. The results of the Design Year analysis indicate that with the reduction in lanes to either five lanes or six lanes, there will be a significant increase in delays if traffic patterns remain unchanged. The City is currently working with OCTA to run the OCTAM model for the five lane and the four-lane with bus lane conditions to determine if the lane reduction would result in a redistribution of traffic to other routes. As this is currently a grid network and there are several parallel or alternative routes in the area, this model will help provide more accurate long-term travel patterns. Results of the Enhanced Pedestrian and Bicycle Concept and Bus Lane/Bike Lane Concept will be re- evaluated once the model runs are completed.
East Side Analysis
Operational analysis for the east side evaluated the baseline six-lane option and the proposed four-lane option. The results of the analysis show that all intersections east of I-5 are forecast to operate at LOS D or better with the four lanes under both Opening Year and Design Year Conditions.
Travel Time Analysis
Travel time calculations were conducted for the west side (Bristol Street to Zoo Lane) and the east side (Zoo Lane to Tustin Avenue) for the Opening Year and Horizon Year for all study scenarios. Travel times were calculated for both buses and passenger vehicles in order to understand the benefits and the impacts to each mode. Tables 13 and 14 summarize the Opening Year and Design Year travel times for the corridor for automobiles and Tables 15 and 16 report the same data for buses.
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53 Table 9. Opening Year Delay and Level of Service (VISSIM) – West Side
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54 Table 10. Design Year Delay and Level of Service (VISSIM) – West Side
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30am -8:30am ]
1 1 s t S t. at Bris tol S t. 4 6.9 D 48. 9 D 5 1. 6 D 113 . 1 F 6 1 s t S t. at Flower S t. 39. 6 D 4 6.0 D 50 .1 D 95.6 F 8 1 s t S t. at Ros s S t. 12 . 1 B 9.6 A 11. 5 B 24 .8 C 10 1 st St. at Broadw ay 3 4 .9 C 30 .7 C 3 1. 6 C 4 5.5 D 11 1 s t S t. at S ycamore S t. 12 . 7 B 14 . 8 B 17 . 8 B 22.5 C 12 1 s t S t. at Main S t. 33. 5 C 40. 3 D 4 7.2 D 4 5.1 D 13 1 s t S t. at Bus h S t. 8 .4 A 10 . 8 B 16 . 5 B 2 1. 9 C 14 1 s t S t. at DT Plaz a 13 . 5 B 8 .2 A 17 . 9 B 15 . 8 B 18 1 s t S t. at Lacy S t. 4 .4 A 16 . 7 B 2 1. 5 C 22.5 C 21 1 st St. at Standard Ave. 40. 5 D 38 .2 D 44. 8 D 4 2.4 D 22 1 st St. at Grand Ave. 62. 6 E 48. 2 D 4 6.7 D 44. 6 D 25 1 s t S t. at Lyon S t. 18 1. 4 F 117 . 7 F 12 1. 0 F 8 6.7 F 26 1 st S t. at Zoo Ln. 52. 8 D 98 .9 F 1 08. 1 F 98 .2 F 27 1 s t S t. at I-5 S B 15 . 3 B 12 . 4 B 12 . 8 B 11. 8 B PM PEAK HOUR [5: 00pm -6: 00pm ]
1 1 s t S t. at Bris tol S t. 4 9.9 D 54 .8 D 63.0 E 1 39.3 F 6 1 s t S t. at Flower S t. 37. 6 D 4 7.9 D 60 .0 E 97.2 F 8 1 s t S t. at Ros s S t. 7 .7 A 8 .3 A 29.9 C 37.5 D 10 1 st St. at Broadw ay 39. 1 D 33.5 C 4 2.4 D 4 6.1 D 11 1 s t S t. at S ycamore S t. 14 . 8 B 2 1. 2 C 30 .9 C 24 .2 C 12 1 s t S t. at Main S t. 3 4 .2 C 40. 7 D 4 7.1 D 4 2.4 D 13 1 s t S t. at Bus h S t. 12 . 3 B 12 . 5 B 50 .0 D 53.8 D 14 1 s t S t. at DT Plaz a 23. 5 C 12 . 4 B 76.3 E 55.5 E 18 1 s t S t. at Lacy S t. 6 .5 A 10 . 8 B 57.1 E 48. 8 D 21 1 st St. at Standard Ave. 3 8 .1 D 38 .5 D 60 .5 E 8 3.3 F 22 1 st St. at Grand Ave. 88. 1 F 66.1 E 67.7 E 84. 3 F 25 1 s t S t. at Lyon S t. 1 73.9 F 1 55.1 F 14 5 . 7 F 1 25.5 F 26 1 st S t. at Zoo Ln. 4 9.3 D 53.2 D 57.9 E 5 1. 7 D 27 1 s t S t. at I-5 S B 5 .6 A 9.3 A 9.3 A 9.3 A
Delay
(s)
LOS
# INTERSECTION
No Build Multi-Us e Path Enhanced Bike/Ped Bus/Bike
Delay
(s)
LOS Delay
(s)
LOS Delay
(s)
LOS
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
55 Table 11. Opening Year Delay and Level of Service (VISSIM) – East Side # INTERSECTION
NO BUILD Four Lane Option
Delay
(s) LOS Delay
(s) LOS
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
28 1st St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 14.8 B 14.9 B
29 1st St. at Golden Circle Dr. 14.7 B 17.5 B
30 1st St. at Tustin Ave. 24.1 C 24.9 C
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
28 1st St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 18.0 B 18.0 B
29 1st St. at Golden Circle Dr. 9.8 A 9.3 A
30 1st St. at Tustin Ave. 26.3 C 26.1 C
Table 12. Design Year Delay and Level of Service (VISSIM) – East Side # INTERSECTION
NO BUILD Four Lane Option
Delay
(s) LOS Delay
(s) LOS
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
28 1st St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 16.4 B 15.2 B
29 1st St. at Golden Circle Dr. 15.0 B 17.6 B
30 1st St. at Tustin Ave. 24.5 C 25.2 C
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
28 1st St. at Cabrillo Park Dr. 18.9 B 18.6 B
29 1st St. at Golden Circle Dr. 10.6 B 9.3 A
30 1st St. at Tustin Ave. 26.8 C 26.0 C
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
56 Table 13. Opening Year Travel Time
# START LOCATION END LOCATION
AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME (mm:ss)
NO
BUILD
Mul ti-
U s e Path
Enhanced
Ped -Bike
Bus/Bike Lanes
Base TSP
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 10:00 07:59 07:53 10:27 10:53 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:16 01:12 01:11 01:11 01:11 Eastbound Total 11:16 09:11 09:04 11:38 12:05
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 01:48 01:36 01:39 01:35 01:36 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 06:50 06:59 07:29 07:30 07:29 Westbound Total 08:38 08:35 09:08 09:05 09:05
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 10:37 10:27 10:36 12:34 12:24 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:12 01:12 01:12 01:11 01:12 Eastbound Total 11:48 11:39 11:48 13:46 13:36
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 01:29 01:21 01:21 01:21 01:22 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 07:26 06:35 09:04 10:06 10:34 Westbound Total 08:55 07:56 10:25 11:26 11:56
Table 14. Design Year Travel Time
# START LOCATION END LOCATION
AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME (mm:ss)
NO
BUILD
Mul ti-
U s e Path
Enhanced
Ped -Bike
Bus/Bike Lanes
Base TSP
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 14:26 10:28 10:40 13:19 13:41 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:18 01:13 01:12 01:12 01:12 Eastbound Total 15:44 11:41 11:52 14:30 14:53
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 02:25 01:43 01:45 01:46 01:39 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 07:21 07:10 08:09 07:58 08:22 Westbound Total 09:46 08:54 09:55 09:44 10:01
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 14:46 14:02 13:05 16:55 16:25 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 01:13 01:12 01:13 01:13 01:13 Eastbound Total 15:59 15:15 14:18 18:08 17:38
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 01:32 01:23 01:23 01:24 01:25 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 08:25 06:56 12:24 13:17 14:04 Westbound Total 9:57 8:19 13:47 14:41 15:29
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
57 Table 15. Opening Year Travel Time - Buses
# START LOCATION END LOCATION
AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME (mm:ss)
NO
BUILD
Mul ti-
U s e Path
Enhanced
Ped -Bike
Bus/Bike Lanes
Base TSP
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 15:03 11:27 11:19 11:12 11:53 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 02:35 02:14 02:08 02:12 02:06 Eastbound Total 17:38 13:41 13:27 13:24 13:59
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 02:53 04:03 03:57 03:57 03:34 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 11:17 12:19 13:11 12:06 11:11 Westbound Total 14:10 16:22 17:08 16:03 14:45
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 16:22 14:23 14:38 12:45 12:41 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 02:27 02:09 02:10 02:10 02:05 Eastbound Total 18:49 16:32 16:48 14:55 14:45
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 02:57 02:38 02:37 02:37 02:38 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 12:25 12:02 14:21 11:23 10:22 Westbound Total 15:23 14:40 16:58 14:01 13:00
Table 16. Design Year Travel Time - Buses
# START LOCATION END LOCATION
AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME (mm:ss)
NO
BUILD
Mul ti-
U s e Path
Enhanced
Ped -Bike
Bus/Bike Lanes
Base TSP
AM PEAK HOUR [7:30a m-8:30a m]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 19:46 12:57 12:57 11:39 12:08 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 02:34 02:18 02:09 02:10 02:10 Eastbound Total 22:20 15:16 15:06 13:49 14:18
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 03:09 04:06 03:51 04:08 03:39 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 12:24 12:33 13:39 12:00 11:30 Westbound Total 15:32 16:40 17:30 16:08 15:09
PM PEAK HOUR [5:00pm-6:00pm]
1 1s t St. at Bristol St. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 21:00 18:00 17:21 12:58 12:44 2 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 02:18 02:12 02:14 02:09 02:06 Eastbound Total 23:18 20:12 19:35 15:07 14:51
4 1s t St. at Tus tin Ave. 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 03:06 02:40 02:39 02:42 02:39 5 1s t St. at Zoo Ln. 1s t St. at Bristol St. 13:01 12:26 17:39 12:01 11:12 Westbound Total 16:07 15:05 20:18 14:44 13:51
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
58 Evaluation of Concept Benefits
Using the goals of this project, concerns raised by the community and the technical analysis conducted to date, a comparison of the benefits for each concept was developed. The comparison is based on how each concept improves conditions by mode compared to the existing conditions. Table 17 below summarizes the results of this exercise.
Table 17. Comparison of Three Design Concepts
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
59 Workshop 3
Workshop 3 was conducted on December 9 and 11, 2025 at the Roosevelt Walker Community Center. Over the course of the two days, 82 attendees signed in representing a broad range of representatives from the community including youth. Participants were encouraged to visit stations around the room that provided information on the three west side concepts, the east side concept and landscaping and then completed a feedback form (refer to Photo 8). The form asked them to share what elements of the concepts presented would improve their travel along the corridor. Responses to each concept are summarized on the following pages.
General Comments
Aside from the specific comments on each concept presented and the landscape design, the following comments were received either in the “Other Notes” section of the comment form, on comment cards or on the available note pads.
• Community feedback strongly emphasizes pedestrian and bicyclist safety, calling for raised crosswalks, protected intersections, complete sidewalks, and fully separated bike paths.
• Lighting, reflective elements, and tree shade are requested to improve usability and safety, especially for students and daily walkers.
• Residents express concern about maintaining vehicle travel lanes to avoid worsening traffic congestion while recommending design features like narrower lanes and speed controls to ease traffic.
• There is also strong support for underground utilities, clear sidewalks, and separated bus lanes.
• The community is interested in a design that balances traffic with safety, accessibility, and environmental enhancements.
• Appreciation expressed for the workshop and answers provided.
Photo 8: Participants Involved in Interactive Stations at Workshop 3
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
60 Multi- Use Path Concept:
Six travel lanes with a shared pedestrian
and bicycle patch on the south side of
First Street
Bicyclist Improvements
• Requests for dedicated, clearly
marked bike lanes on both sides
of the street, buffers/barriers
between bike lanes and
sidewalks, and improved bike
and bus separation.
• Support for protected bike paths rather than shared paths, clear pavement markings, and signage to identify bike zones.
• Concerns about bike lanes accumulating trash and debris. • Some people support expanded bike lanes for safety while others oppose additional bike lanes due to concerns about traffic impacts.
Pedestrian Improvements
• Requests for additional crosswalks near schools, churches, and bus stops. • Requests for elevated crosswalks, all-way crossings, and shorter crossing distances at smaller intersections.
• Support for wider sidewalks, sidewalks flush with street, and trees that supply shade for pedestrians.
• Reduction of obstruction in pedestrian zones such as utility boxes and poles.
Safety improvements
• Requests for traffic signals for controlled pedestrian crossings, restrictions for right turns at red lights, additional guardrails, barriers, and buffers. between pedestrians, cyclists, buses, and vehicle lanes. • Requests for additional street lighting and illuminated/glowing crosswalks. • Concerns regarding vehicle speeds.
Roadway/Driver Improvements
• Support for lane reductions to reduce traffic speeds and support for separation of vehicles, buses, bikes, and pedestrian zones. • Suggestions to reduce it to two lanes in each direction and eliminate or consolidate turn lanes.
• Request for dedicated bus lanes, improved bus operations, and improve mobility for bus turning movements.
• Opposition towards reduced travel lanes due to congestion concerns.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
61 Enhanced Pedestrian & Bicycle Zone
Concept:
Five travel lanes with a sidewalk and a
separated bikeway on each side of First
Street
Bicyclist Improvements
• Support for separated and
protected bike
lanes highlighting this concept
as the most bike-friendly and most
complete.
• Support for bike lanes on both sides of street, bi-directional bike lanes rather than one-sided, and barriers between bikes and traffic such as curbs and planters. • Requests for complete bike paths through intersections, bike-specific signals, separation between cyclists and pedestrians, and enhanced striping positioning for bike lane (green conflict zone on North Lyon Street).
• Requests for multilingual bike signage (English, Spanish, Vietnamese).
Pedestrian Improvements
• Requests for additional and clearly marked crosswalks, z-crossings near schools, and all-way crossings at major intersections.
• Requests for elevated and protected sidewalks at underpass at N McClay Street and widened sidewalks.
• Requests for guardrails, reflective lighting, and improved lighting for pedestrian visibility.
Safety Improvements
• Support for concept citing it is the safest, most complete, and best option. • Support for the narrow streets for reduction in traffic speeds as well as raised/protected crosswalks.
• Requests for protected intersections, curb extensions, and barriers between traffic and bicyclists for accident prevention.
• Concerns raised for blind spots near buildings and trash/debris from vehicles affecting safety.
Roadway/Driver Improvements
• Support for concept citing it accommodates high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists as well as balances safety improvements with traffic.
• Support for five lanes or three lanes in one direction to manage congestion as well as support for lane reductions for safety and walkability. • Support for adding bus lanes on the three-lane side of street and dedicated bus lanes to improve reliability and encourage ridership.
• Requests for bioswales in medians, simpler driveway access, shorter crossings • Interest in learning more regarding hours for bus lanes (all day or rush hour). • Concerns of bus lanes increasing congestion.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
62 Bus Lane & Bikeway Concept :
Four travel lanes and two bus
lanes awith a separate dedicated bikeway
and a sidewalk on each side of First Street
Bicyclist Improvements
• Requests for continuous bike
paths through intersections,
protected bike lanes with physical
barriers like curbs and planters, and clear signage in English and Spanish. • Support for bi-directional bikeways and lanes on both sides of the street. • Concerns for bicyclists traveling around buses, lack of separation/barriers, and single bike lane provided.
Pedestrian Improvements
• Requests for additional crosswalks near schools, z-crossings to address jaywalking, and curb extensions to shorten crossings and improve visibility.
• Requests for improved push button placement and countdown signals, longer crossing times for wheelchair users, and improved curb ramp alignment for accessibility.
• Concerns for drainage and potential flooding at corners.
Safety Improvements
• Support for separation among all modes of transportation, reduction in intersection width, protected curbs at intersections, traffic signals and crossings spaced throughout corridor.
• Requests for left and right turn signals and enforcement tools such traffic signal cameras for pedestrian safety.
• Concerns for pedestrians and bicyclists about travel conflicts in shared areas as well as visibility issues without curb extensions.
• Improved vendor and pedestrian safety due to exclusive bus lane.
Roadway/Driver Improvements
• Support for dedicated bus lanes due to improved bus reliability, better wait times, incentivized public transit, and mitigation of traffic impacts on buses. • Mixed opinions on bus lane impacts to traffic. Some note it will improve flow while others feel it will worsen congestion.
• Suggestion to add dedicated bus signals at busy intersections. • Interest in learning if bus lanes will have dedicated hours (full-day or peak) and if two car lanes in each direction are necessary.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
63 Enhanced Pedestrian & Bicycle
Zone Concept:
Four travel lanes with a sidewalk and a
separated bikeway on each side of
First Street
Bicyclist Improvements
• Support for extended bike
infrastructure
throughout corridor and separate and protected bike lanes/paths • Requests for physical buffers and barriers to protect bike lanes such as planters.
Pedestrian Improvements
• Support for the concept specific to separating pedestrian walkways for safety and comfort.
• Requests for all-way pedestrian crossings, incorporation of cross paths at all intersections, and curb bulb-outs to shorten crossing distances and protect pedestrians.
• Concerns for physical pedestrian obstruction near Caltrans parking lot.
Safety improvements
• Support for this design, citing it is the safest for all modes of transportation due to separation, can reduce accidents, and narrows roadway widths leading to slower traffic speeds.
• Improved safety outcomes through buffers, planters, and curb extensions.
Roadway/Driver Improvements
• Request to narrow the roadway to slow traffic speeds, reallocate space from wide lanes or medians to protect bike and pedestrian zones.
• Concern for traffic impacts with new bike lane.
Streetscape and Landscape
Participants also provided input on potential street trees for the corridor. The results of the input are summarized below:
• Use California native plants and trees, particularly within bioswales. • Discouraged the use of Mediterranean climate plants and expressed frustration with overplanted species, such as crepe myrtle, citing poor appearance and overuse in the area.
• Clear support for prioritizing native vegetation in the project’s landscape design.
City of Santa Ana | First Street Multimodal Corridor
Technical Memorandum
64 Next Steps
With the development of the three concepts, the next step in the project is to select a locally preferred alternative. In order to select that option, the following steps will be completed:
• Complete the OCTAM model and assess the redistribution of traffic related to potential lane reductions and update the levels of service. • Conduct meetings with the Stakeholder Group and the Community Working Group to receive additional feedback on the three Concepts.
• Present and receive direction from City Council.
Once a locally preferred alternative is selected, the project team will move forward with the final engineering, feasibility study and environmental document for the corridor. Due to project funding, this phase of the project will need to be completed by December 2026. The City is currently seeking funding to finalize the engineering, prepare bid documents and construct the project; however, additional funding may be needed for construction depending upon the concept selected.