Anaheim to lead 4-city signal sync project on North OC corridor

The Anaheim City Council approved plans Tuesday for the city to lead a four-city effort to synchronize traffic signals at 58 intersections along the State College Boulevard/City Drive corridor, a move officials say could cut travel times by 15 to 20 percent.

The project, funded largely through a $3.76 million Measure M2 regional grant, directly affects commuters in Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and Orange — four cities that share one of North Orange County's most congested travel corridors.

Anaheim will serve as lead agency on the project, overseeing 23 of the 58 intersections — stretching from Via Burton Street to Orangewood Avenue — while coordinating with Brea, Fullerton and Orange. The full corridor runs from Cliffwood Avenue in Brea south to Garden Grove Boulevard in Orange, according to a city staff report cited by Voice of OC.

"The Project will increase throughput, improve fuel economy, reduce vehicle delay and travel times, and reduce vehicle emissions," the Anaheim City Council staff report reads.

The synchronization system will time signals to allow groups of vehicles to pass through consecutive green lights. "The project will integrate a combination of fiber optic and communications devices and specific traffic signal designs, software and programs to maximize traffic flow at different times of the day," the Anaheim staff report reads.

The project is funded through the Orange County Transportation Authority's Measure M2 Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program. Total grant funding reaches $3,762,290, with each city required to supply 20 percent in matching funds. Anaheim's portion carries a price tag of $2,321,440, with 80 percent of that covered by the M2 grant, according to Voice of OC.

The effort follows a string of similar regional projects. A 2025 overhaul along Kraemer Boulevard, Glassell Street and Grand Avenue synchronized 61 intersections across Brea, Placentia, Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana. A comparable project on Beach Boulevard more than 15 years ago was credited with improving commute times between Huntington Beach and Whittier.

The multi-city partnership agreement extends through December 31, 2032.