Santa Ana unveils $22 million draft capital improvement plan, 7‑year program totals $63 million

Hayley Gabe, public works budget manager, presented the City of Santa Ana’s draft Fiscal Year 2026–27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the E‑Tech commission on April 14, outlining project categories, funding sources and draft totals.

Gabe described the one‑year draft as approximately $22 million, with about $20,438,000 proposed for street improvements, $1.4 million for traffic improvements and $285,000 for city and park facility improvements. She said the draft may increase to about $27 million before final consideration by the City Council as supplemental budgets and funding decisions are finalized.

The presentation listed funding sources including local gas tax (SB1 RMRA), Measure M and Measure X, refuse vehicle impact fees and grants such as the Highway Safety Improvement Program, the Active Transportation Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Planned one‑year street projects named in the draft included an alley improvement program, pavement management project development, local street resurfacing and an industrial street repair program; arterial projects noted for next year included 17th Street rehab to Cabrillo Park, Broadway Street rehab, MacArthur Boulevard and design work on the Santa Ana grade separation.

Gabe also presented a draft 7‑year CIP totaling about $63 million, with the majority allocated to street improvements and programmed grants. She said water capital projects are active elsewhere but no new water projects were programmed in this CIP draft.

During questions, a commissioner asked what an arterial project includes; Jason Gabriel replied that arterials are multi‑lane, high‑volume streets and that the CIP primarily addresses pavement preservation (grind/overlay or replacement). He said lighting is typically outside the pavement scope but staff coordinates with water, traffic and lighting teams to avoid cutting new pavement later. A commissioner raised safety concerns about lighting on Broadway; staff said lighting projects are funded in separate efforts when available.

Ending: Gabe said the CIP book contains worksheets and a table of projects and that funding decisions are still pending; the draft will be reviewed by council as part of the budget process.