Streets to benefit from allocation Orange County...

Streets to benefit from allocation

Orange County Transportation Authority officials on Monday

announced that it is allocating an all-time high of $248 million to

local cities for street improvements.

The agency’s board of directors approved the allocation of federal

and Measure M funds, representing the largest one-time award of

Combined Transportation Funding Program money. Measure M is a

half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, which expire in

2011.

Local cities may apply for the funds for certain types of

projects. Those that qualify may include street rehabilitation,

improving intersections, widening streets, coordinating traffic

signals and improving safety at railroad crossings, according to a

staff report.

The money will be available from the fiscal year of 2005-06

through 2010.

Transportation committees must approve the projects before

funding. Applications are due by Jan. 24.