To:
Mayor Farrah N. Khan
City of Irvine
1 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
Email: [email protected]

OCTA Orange County Maintenance Facility team
Email: [email protected]

September 12, 2023

Subject: Metrolink Orange County Maintenance Facility

Dear Mayor Khan, Councilmembers and OCTA team,

The Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC) is an all-volunteer non-profit passenger rail advocacy group representing the interests of rail passengers since 1978.

RailPAC fully supports Metrolink’s proposed projects in Irvine: the Orange County Maintenance Facility and the Irvine station improvements (including 4th main track). RailPAC also commends the city’s Irvine Station Connect planning project to improve bicycle and pedestrian access and connecting bus transit. These projects need to be completed as soon as possible.

The Metrolink Orange County Maintenance Facility is needed to support more frequent and reliable passenger rail service in Orange County.  Irvine and other cities up and down the LOSSAN Rail Corridor will see direct benefit with increased train frequencies and transportation options in all hours of the day.  This will reduce GHG emissions by getting cars off the road, helping achieve City and regional climate goals. Back in 2003, the City of Irvine and OCTA designated this site as the future home of the Metrolink maintenance and support facility. Two decades later, it is time to begin construction. We look forward to working with OCTA and City of Irvine to help accomplish this, so that Southern California rail passengers can benefit from the new Orange County Maintenance Facility sooner rather than later. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Brian Yanity

Vice President- South and Board Member,
Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC)