The City of Anaheim, in cooperation with the Orange County Transportation Authority, is working to improve passenger access to the Metrolink system. The city has proposed a fixed guideway transit line between the future Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), the Platinum Triangle, the Anaheim Resort and the Anaheim Convention Center as part of this program. This line will serve corridor residents, employees, and visitors and will allow Metrolink commuter rail and future high-speed rail customers travel between the Anaheim station and corridor attractions. To qualify for federal funding, the City must demonstrate that the new line will carry enough passengers to be a cost-effective solution to regional mobility needs. Unlike traditional transit projects, many of the markets to be served by this line are dominated by visitors and other non-commuter travel.

RSG staff worked with Federal Transit Administration to develop a data-driven forecasting method that utilizes existing survey information on corridor transit usage, evaluates how the project will improve mobility, and uses this information to project future usage. The project involved extensive analysis and reporting of uncertainties to allow decision makers to understand the relative impact of each element of the forecasting process including demographic changes and institution of high-speed rail service to Anaheim.