PLACENTIA

Placentia was awarded $4.6 million in transportation grants Monday to help pay for improvements to Orangethorpe Avenue and to start preliminary studies related to the city’s $300-million railroad lowering project.

The Orange County Transit Authority’s board of directors voted to give Placentia a portion of $60 million in federal funds available this year from the Regional Surface Transportation Program. Placentia’s two projects were among 18 given funding out of 50 applications submitted countywide, spokesman Dave Simpson said.

The board of directors voted to give the city $4 million for the railroad lowering project, and $585,850 toward improvements along Orangethorpe Avenue.