The electric-powered streetcar will be operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), and will serve ten stops in each direction along its 4.15-mile (6.68 km) route.

Most of the route follows the original path of the Pacific Electric Railway "Red Cars" that served Santa Ana in the early 20th century, before being abandoned in 1950.

[6] The streetcar's planned eastern terminus is the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, which is served by Metrolink commuter rail and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, as well as a number of bus routes.

[14] Although the former Pacific Electric rail bridge over the Santa Ana River still exists, it is single-track and considered structurally inadequate due to its age.

In addition, the line will cross Westminster Avenue on an elevated bridge to reach the Harbor Transit Center in Garden Grove.

[18] Service to Orange County was terminated in 1950 due to the increasing use of automobiles and buses, and the original tracks through town were removed and paved over.

[20] The CenterLine was opposed mainly due to its high cost (more than $1 billion for the 9.3-mile (15.0 km) segment between Santa Ana and John Wayne Airport) and was ultimately canceled in 2005.

[6] The streetcar was the result of OCTA's "Go Local" initiative, which offered funds for Orange County cities to study potential new transit links to existing Metrolink rail stations.

[21] Former President Barack Obama included $125 million for OC Streetcar in the 2016-17 federal budget under the Major Capital Investments (New Starts) program.

[10] OC Streetcar is one of two current transit projects intended to use the historic West Santa Ana Branch, the other being a Los Angeles Metro Rail Southeast Gateway Line.

[41] Restoring full service to the Pacific Electric Santa Ana Line via light rail would cost about $3 billion to construct, and is expected to serve about 80,000 riders daily.

[21] The Willowick Golf Course in Garden Grove is being considered for redevelopment, potentially as a regional park with sports arenas and outdoor amphitheater, with mixed-used neighborhoods adjacent to a proposed stop on the streetcar route.

[44][45] In addition, 17.8 percent of households in the service area do not own a car, and the streetcar would markedly improve their access to the regional transit system.

[7] However, some businesses have opposed the project, citing that customers might avoid the area during construction, and that the rail line would eliminate parking spaces and increase traffic congestion.

In addition, low-income residents have expressed concern over the potential gentrification of their neighborhoods and being unable to afford increased rents as a result of the rise in property value.