Shuttles run Saturday, Aug. 1 and Sunday, Aug. 2 on two routes
ORANGE – Those looking to enjoy the second weekend of the U.S. Open of Surfing without dealing with traffic and parking can do just that, using a free shuttle service paid for primarily by the Orange County Transportation Authority.
Funds for the shuttle come from Measure M, a half-cent sales tax approved by Orange County voters in 2006 for transportation improvements.
Shuttles will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1 and Sunday, Aug. 2. The first route runs from Huntington Beach High School to Main/Orange; the second runs from Edison High School to Main/Orange. Both depart about every 30 minutes.
Visit www.vansusopenofsurfing.com for details.
The service is funded through a Measure M transit program, under which cities can apply for grants to develop local bus services – like shuttles and bus trolleys – that complement regional bus and rail services.
Cities are required to provide a 10 percent match to receive the funding. Huntington Beach is providing a 30 percent match.
An estimated 1,500 people rode the shuttle during the U.S. Open of Surfing’s opening weekend on July 25 and 26. An additional 603 people used the shuttle service when it was offered all day on July 4 from the Goldenwest Transit Center to Downtown Huntington Beach.
Money from the Measure M program is also being used this summer to fund transportation options in other beach communities.
A Laguna Beach trolley is whisking riders on a continuous loop along Pacific Coast Highway from Cajon Street in North Laguna to the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. And a Dana Point shuttle runs on weekends from Capistrano Beach to the Ritz-Carlton, where it connects with the Laguna Beach trolley.
For more information on Measure M, visit www.octa.net/MeasureM
